Elder Tommy Webber Washington Tacoma 2013-2015: Raymond Rules! Musical Fireside Fun

Hello family (and others!)

This was a good week and yesterday made it a great week! We had the first "WA-TAC Fireside" of the season, held in the Chehalis building in the Centralia, WA stake. I'll tell you about it in a bit. First was some Halloween fun.

On Monday we carved pumpkins, I made the BYU cougar and lit it up with Halloween pumpkin lights my mom sent. I loved hearing about your Halloween, I want to see the pictures of "Thing 1 & Thing 2"! On Thursday we had a Zone Meeting and a Zone Activity following. The Zone Meeting in Elma was great. Our Zone hasn't been together much this transfer and it was great to get together and learn together. Oh yeah! One more exciting piece of news: (there are too many good things, this letter must sound jumbled). On November 23rd, the Washington Tacoma Mission will have the special privilege of receiving a 2 hour training from a member of the Quorum of the Twelve APOSTLES!!! And a member of the presidency of the 70!! WOW! We do not know who yet, but either way this is an incredible opportunity and I cannot wait for a life changing experience!

Elder Tommy Webber's Pumpkin of a BYU Cougar

Cougar Growl

We then went to a members home in Elma to have dinner as a Zone and play some games and watch a movie! We watched "Ephraim's Rescue" kind of a sequel to "17 miracles" it was a great, uplifting movie!! and a fun night.

Israel is doing awesome!! He has been taught everything and said that he believes it all. He committed to keep every commandment. He said, "I now have God in my life. I am not afraid, and I'll do anything. I'm ready to be baptized, and nothing will stop me!" He is amazing. He has such an open, humble, willing heart. I try to be like him. After church Sunday he showed us the creek he wants to get baptized in. Everyone pray for good weather!

Trap Creek in Menlo, WA where Israel is choosing to be baptized

AND! Last night we had our missionary musical fireside!! I will not, unfortunately, be able to put into words the experience it was and the spirit that was there. One said, "There are three ways we may feel the spirit: sacred music, true doctrine, and testimony" We had all three last night. The program opened with me conducting "Called to Serve" the WA-TAC way. About 6 missionaries bore their testimonies of the Savior, and President and Sister Weaver spoke. We sang "He Sent His Son" and other musical numbers were "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me", "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" on cello, and "Be Still My Soul". We also did the "Army of Helaman" song, which Sister Crosby and I conducted together as there are two separate parts. It was just incredible. I couldn't stop smiling and I saw President Weaver just beaming, and even a laugh, because of the pure joy of missionary work radiating from a missionary choir about 100 strong. We concluded with "Amazing Grace" which I did not get to conduct, but sang with the choir instead. There was so much power. About 250 stake members came, and all felt the powerful influence of Jesus Christ's love.

The scripture for the week is Alma 56:44-48 about the Army of Helaman! They had incredible faith and righteous mother examples to follow. Never have we seen so much courage to do good in the Book of Mormon!

Next week will be a baptism update (Saturday at 11:00) and a transfer call!