Steilacoom Gets Cold, Winter is Here

Dear Family,

I've been thinking of you guys a lot this week, especially with the wonderful Christmas season here. I miss you but I love being here in Washington, engaged in the work of the Lord. Especially at Christmas where we get to say Merry Christmas to everyone who closes the door on us, ha ha. But really, what better time to share the message of our Savior.

9:00 pm, End of a cold day

It is surprisingly cold here, especially this week it dropped into the teens in temperature. I thought after experiencing (and enduring) a Utah winter I could handle Washington, but it hit us pretty fast and caught me off guard. It's especially hard when we are outside from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (with the exception of dinner and lessons) and when we bike around in the blowing frigid air. Thank you mom for the thermals and scarf and sweaters, I pile them all on and it keeps me warm enough. I can't complain too much, I know there are much worse places and I know I have a warm apartment to go home to and a nice bed. Plus I'm pretty sure Heavenly Father has been helping, because He's answered a few prayers. When it's 8:15 p.m. and we have no appointments, it's only my love for Him that gets me to bike out to find something to do or someone to visit, so we can obediently work all day. That's when blessings come, and they have!!

Lake Waughop in Steilacoom

Aside from two miracle lessons this week, it was hard work. No one seems to ever be home, so we can spend hours each day visiting potential investigators or knocking more or walking around to talk to people. I have felt discouraged because of how hard I have been working and not having much to do. Thankfully my great companion Elder Hansen has been reminding me that perhaps I'm looking in the wrong areas for success, and with your note, mom, I can understand more of what success is. It is not how many lessons or baptisms or referrals we get but how committed we are to the work, how we love the people, and, simply, how hard we are really trying. Even with that, Heavenly Father has seemed to bless us again.

me at Lake Waughop in Steilacoom

We had the privilege to have President Weaver in our district meeting on Wednesday, as a surprise (a little scary for me at first), but after he was saying how he is supposed to be working with the missionaries more directly and we told him about our scheduled lesson with our main investigator, Haopeng. He agreed to come with us to help us teach that night! Haopeng was found last transfer, by talking to him as he was walking home to his apartment. He came from China about a year ago and is here studying at college. He has no background in religion but he is one of the most humble people I have met. He sits on the floor at our feet when we teach and soaks in everything we say. He keeps all his commitments to read the Book of Mormon and pray! He is very busy with school, that is our only difficulty. Anyway that night with President Weaver, we taught one of the best lessons I have experienced. We taught the Plan of Salvation, it was only 45 minutes, but it was simple and the Spirit was very strong. I was at times subtly aware of the Spirit guiding me to know in the moment what to say or what questions to ask. We committed him to baptism on the 21st!

Sadly, he slept through church this week, so we went over to visit. He and his girlfriend Tiffany (came from China about 3 years ago) were there and were talking and it transformed into teaching her the Restoration. She heard Haopeng talking about all his awesome experiences and the Spirit came again! She has accepted to be baptized on the 21st as well!! We are very excited but have a lot of work to do now. There are more miracles coming. Let's keep praying for them!

Farrell's Marsh in Steilacoom (Bike shortcut)

Scripture this week is Ether 3:4, one of my favorite examples of faith. The Brother of Jared had exceeding faith. We can too. We know God can do this work, and we will do our part as best we can. I am excited to finish the Book of Mormon tomorrow by reading Moroni 10 with the whole mission at our Christmas party!!

Merry Christmas!!!!
Elder Webber

me at Lake Waughop in Steilacoom