Finding Kolob

STORY #1

So last week, I told you all about the Guzman family, and how we just found them through a referral from the temple Visitor's Center. Well during this past week, we were able to see them again, and they are seriously the best. We ended up taking a member with us that really tried his hardest to share the Gospel and teach about the Book of Mormon, which I really admired.. But unfortunately, we were trying to teach the Guzman's about the Plan of Salvation, and some how we started talking about deep doctrine stuff like Lamanites and Nephites and Zion and stuff. We might as well have had a lesson about how to find Kolob.

Long story short, we're gunna have to reteach the Plan of Salvation for understanding...

STORY #2

Thursday this week was SOOO slow. We had a couple lessons planned in the morning, and then we were going to go up to the mission home to fix something on our car which would have taken most of the day, and we didn't plan many back up plans, because we thought for sure they would all go through. BUT! Both of our lessons in the morning canceled on us, and then one of the office Elders called us and said that we no longer need to come up to the mission home for the car... So we looked at our planner and saw our 4 hours of basically free time, and then started brain storming new things to do all day! It was probably the longest day ever. Until we turned to the beginning of the planners and saw the "Ideas on Finding" page. We made an awkward hospital visit and requested to add our names to the "Clergy" list, just in case someone requested religious help... But apparently, those things don't even exist. It made for a very awkward visit. The day seemed to be a bit of a waste up until.......

STROY #3

...Until we tried to look at some former investigators! We prayerfully picked a few names to go visit. All of whom being non members who used to take lessons, but were dropped for whatever reason. Among those names was the Ramirez family!! (Keep in mind, our goal was just to pass by and maybe set up a time in the future to come back with a lesson....  but..) When we got there, they were almost over joyed to see us! They invited us in and offered us food, and said that they always loved having the old (Sister) missionaries over, but they stopped coming for whatever reason. WELL! On top of that, they will be having their son from Las Vegas living there from now on, and he had never met with missionaries before, but actually shows a ton of interest in learning and being baptized! We were able to chedule a trip with them to go to the Visitor's Center this Saturday and the whole family said they'd LOVE to go and they want to make a mini family vacation out of it and take the tours and everything!

We have been blessed with SO many prepared people in these last few weeks. And I'm extremely excited to help them along in their progression. :)

On a side note. I cut my own hair this week. It turned out pretty good! Special thanks to Mom and Dad for the clippers. And the GPS I bought with the birthday money was no joke, THE BEST investment I've made so far. So thanks. :)

Also, one of members in my ward said she stalked my blog and instagram and stuff, and she said my blog hadn't been updated in a while. Shout out to Betsy Chacon! thanks for stalking me!

Any ways! this was super long, but it's just because so much is happening lately! Elder Muniz and I make a good team. One might even say a "Super Team". Hence the photo... mwahaha

Love you all!

Elder Webster

Puerto Ricisimo

Hey everyone! Sounds like this week went pretty well back home! Always a pleasure to hear from everyone.

This week was pretty dang good. Firstly, I met my new companion last Tuesday. He's pretty cool. We get along pretty well. His name is Elder Muniz, and he's from Puerto Rico, but he lives in Maryman Utah right now. He's been out since November, but he's already a pretty good teacher. I think he's better than I was when I had been out 3 months for sure. The only thing is that he likes to work out. So we wake up really early to go to our apartments gym. Which I'm complaining about, but it's actually a good thing because now I can finally get swull.

This week I held my first District Meeting, and I gave a training on how to plan to find. (Which was our main focus this week). I went to the "New Leader Training" this week, and I still feel like I'll need a few weeks for all of my new responsibilities to kick in, but I'm gettin there. But we actually had a really succesful finding week this week. We found a family, Guzman's, who we received as a referal from the Temple's Visitor's Center. So we visited them and BOOM! They are so prepared. :) We taught them about how Joseph Smith came to find the truth by praying to know which church was true, and she told us that she did that too! She's so easy to teach, and wants to learn, and told us (without us even asking) that she was going to read the whole Book of Mormon. and that she'd have it done in 2 weeks. We set a baptismal date with them on February 28th. So if that goes through, this will be my first baptism where I've taught the family from the beginning. I'm hoping I don't get transferred or anything. They are the best.

(I forgot to mention this last week) On Saturday Jan 31st, we actually had ANOTHER general Authority come to our mission! So most of our day on Saturday was up in Oakland listening to Niel L Anderson from the quorrum of the 12. It was really good! He taught about Honesty and Integrity (amongst other things) and one thing I learned was that we should NOT bare testimony on things that we don't have a testimony about. Pretty basic, I know, but it's because the spirit can only testify of truth. So if we say something that is untruthful, then it detracts from the spirit. He suggested that we write down all of the things that we KNOW to be true, and then write down all the things that we HOPE to be true, and then read and pray until you know. I loved it.

This next week we are really trying to help our new investigators to progress. We have a few set appointments, and and they have all of the potential in the world, but it will always just be "potential" until we help them know what to do with it.

Hopefully long emails don't bother you, because I know this one was pretty long.

Shout out to the Fredricks! Happy Birthday! your letters are coming in the mail soon.

Shout out to the other Elder Webster for getting to train his second greenie.

And shout out to Murphy for spicing up mom's life a bit.

Love you all!

Elder Webster

Birthday/Transfer Call

First off, sorry for writing on a Tuesday. We got our transfer calls yesterday, and we spent the day packing and helping other people pack #ZoneLeaderLife. But we got permission from President to write today instead.

Thanks a lot for the Birthday wishes and letters and packages! I love those Visa Gift Cards, their the best. :) I actually spent most of it already by buying a GPS! :) Which I really needed. So thanks a ton. And that Razor is fantastic too. Thanks mom and dad! My Birthday was pretty average. Elder Runco had to finish up his paper work so that he doesn't get deported. and then we went to Sister Munoz's house for a Birthday dinner! she was really sweet about it. :) And Elder Runco and Elder Ah Hoy secretly had people buy me balloons and a cake, and they through me my own little private party in the apartment.

So! Transfer Calls!!! I'm staying here in Richmond, but I'm getting a new companion. His name is Elder Muniz-Dubon. He's been out for a couple months, but I've met him before, and he's doing great. I'll be senior companion for the first time. Should be good times.

President also assigned me to be the new District Leader! For those of you that don't know, A mission is divided into zones, and each zone is divided into Districts. In my District, there are 6 members. And so now I'm the one that organizes and conducts district meetings, and oversees this part of the mission.

Honestly, I don't really know how to do that yet. But I asked Elder Ah Hoy for a blessing, and it said that as the Lord trusts me with this new role, it should be an opportunity for me to develop my trust in Him. So I'm not scared. I'm just going to do my best and trust that whatever happens, the Lords got my back. :)

The Zone Leaders got changed around too. Elder Runco is leaving to be the Zone Leader in San Leandro, and Elder Castleberry got called to replace him! WHICH IS AWESOME! Elder Castleberry was my first companion/trainer, and we are basically best friends. He was my first District Leader, and now I'm his District Leader. haha

This week, we were coming back from service with some English speaking elders, and one of the members made us this weird French stew, and my stomach hated it. We were driving back to our house when I lost it and puked out the car window. :( We had to stop at the chapel to clean it up a little bit. (so gross.) and when we got there, the door was left open and the glass window to the Family History Building had been broken into and the computers had been stolen. It was crazy. We called the cops and had to stay with them while they were finger printing and taking pictures and stuff, and then it occurred to me that it was a blessing that I got sick from the stew. If I hadn't, we wouldn't have found the crime scene when we did, and we wouldn't have been able to lock up the church properly, and who knows what else could've happened. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Any ways, Love you all! This letter was a little long, but I hoped you could read all of it! This last transfer was both the TOUGHEST and the BEST transfer so far. Unfortunately, I won't be working with Beto or Nayeli or Jenny or Jimena anymore because they're not in my area anymore. So this next week, we'll be working hard to FIND FIND FIND. Keep us in your prayers!

Elder Webster

Another Great Week!

This week was full of tons of cool blessings. Serving with the experienced Zone Leaders has been such an amazing blessing. I've learned so much about planning and teaching, it's crazy. I really hope that I can apply it all as this transfer ends this next week. First and Foremost:

Our Investigators are progressing so nicely right now! Beto and Nayeli still have baptism dates coming up in February, and it looks like they're all set to go. They love the church, and really seem like they're excited to join it. Which is awesome. Jenny, is doing well, however, we didn't end up baptizing her yesterday like we wanted to. She said that she didn't feel ready yet, and that she'd like to wait a while. Baptism can be a huge change in her life, and it's a very personal thing, so we don't want to rush her into it unless she's on board. So we pushed her baptismal date back a bit. Hopefully to February, but she hasn't chosen a date yet. But we're still praying for her and helping her as much as we can.

One of the AWESOME things about serving in the Bay Area, is that cool things happen pretty much daily. This weekend, we actually had the chance to go to a live concert for Alex Boye! He's a famous singer who's sung with Lindsey Sterling and the Piano Guys, and he was performing a show in the auditorium next to the Oakland Temple, and we were invited to go as long as we brought someone to it. So we ended up bringing the Chacon family and a few of their friends. HE IS SO GOOD! Look him up. Alex Boye. He's an African singer who does Swahili covers of popular songs, and can overall just sing super well. It was awesome. Who else can say they did that on their mission?

Last Thing.

This week, Jenny asked us if we can help her fix something on her car. So we came over and found out that her windows had been busted into, and she went and bought some replacement windows for them, and she needed some help installing them. And then she left...? It was kinda awkward. Especially because none of us 3 knew what we were doing, so we said a prayer to help guide us and show us what to do.. Kinda a weird prayer right? Well we did it anyway, and then we got to work. But Lo and Behold, God answers weird prayers! We literally had that door disassembled and those glass shards cleaned up and those windows installed in about an hour and a half. It reminded me of the Scripture Alma 26:12. I know that I am nothing. As to my strength I am weak. I do not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in His strength I can do all things.

TRUUUUUE.

Any ways. Thanks for the Birthday wishes! Transfers end this Saturday (On my birthday) So I should probably get a new companion by next Pday, or at least know who he is. I LOVE Elder Runco and Elder Ah Hoy. I'm probably going to go find them after the mission and force them to heng out with me. But I've been in a trio for quite a while now, and I guess I need to get back to my area. haha

Thanks for everything! Love you all!

Elder Webster

Alex Boye

At the concert

Me and my awkward self holding a rabbit at Rocha's house.

Elder Runco and I trying to squeeze into Elder Ah Hoy's pants, hahahaha