Snow in Steilacoom!

Family:

We had a busy week and a great week and I have so much to tell you!

I loved the story of the statewide fast for rain and then having rain that night! how blessed we are to live once again in a day of miracles!

Also I'm so happy to hear Katie Eckhardt is going on a mission!!! That is super exciting and will forever bless her family :) Good job Katie!

Speaking of missionaries, last night we had the second fireside, this time in Tacoma. We invited Rebecca, but she couldn't make it. The sisters are teaching a 19 year old named Cesar, and he did come! Cesar is so cool. Elder Schaffner and I actually knocked on his door late December, he said he was interested, we gave him a Book of Mormon, but then we could never reach him. About 10 days ago, the Sisters were knocking when Cesar passed on the street and they talked with him, and set up an appointment. They have been teaching him at a members home, and once he read and prayed about the Book of Mormon, he said he knew it was true and he wanted to be a part of it! He is getting baptized this Saturday. He couldn't find a ride to the fireside so guess what? He just biked there! From Steilacoom! that's like an hour bike ride. He later told the sisters that no matter what, rain or snow, he will do anything for the Church of Jesus Christ. Wow. These people are out there, prepared for the restored gospel. Truly the work is hastening.

Saturday night we had a snow "storm" in Washington and church Sunday was cancelled! I was pretty stunned, I had never even heard of church being cancelled. They made the decision Saturday night and our bishop called us around 10:20 right before bed! We stayed in our apartment until the ok, then went out and cleared some snow off a car of a member we knew was physically less able. We also built a little missionary snowman and threw snowballs at each other during tracting ha, ha.

One funny story from last week that I forgot to mention. So in the past month there have been about 14 robberies in Steilacoom. Very unusual because it is a nice, quiet neighborhood. Apparently the robbers have been people, especially women, dressed as missionaries. They go door to door and see who's not home, then break in! So we've had some funny responses from people when we go around, as actual missionaries, and knock on doors. Some people have been scared. Last Friday, we were knocking in a nicer neighborhood and it was very dark. There are few streetlights. Many of the homes had no one there. After we finished a big cul-de-sac, we kept going down the street when we saw a big search light from around a hedge, lighting up the hill. We both knew there was a police car and we both knew why. We kept going and walked straight to the police car. He got out and asked if we had been in the neighborhood knocking doors, we smiled and said yes, we're missionaries! he smiled too and got on the phone with a lady, the one who had called him. He asked slowly what the "robbers" looked like and was smiling at us and laughing! He told her, "Ma'm, I'm sorry, but they are in fact Mormons." We both were trying hard to hold in the laughter. He told us to carry on and have a great night, and drove off. We then finished our tracting.

Also this week, we had another church tour with George, and showed him all the paintings in our building, and explained them. He loves learning about the Restoration and he seems to understand it in his mind. We are working on having him understand it in his heart as well. We need both to be truly converted to the gospel.

Missionaries serving in the Lakewood Zone

Rebecca has been doing better, and her husband came home today, which is all around good. She loves our visits. We had dinner with a member family last night, we taught them the Restoration, and invited them to be a fellowship family for her. We will soon schedule a time for all of us to meet so we can actually start the lessons.

Haopeng and Tiffany have not yet got a marriage license! They are always so busy with school. We are working a lot with Haopeng. He struggles more with faith. Tiffany is very ready and told us once they can get married, she will get baptized.

Elder Webber and Elder Schaffner

Recently in our ward a missionary returned home. He finished his two year mission in Texas, Spanish speaking. On Wednesday he was at the church to be released. We were there at the same time with George's church tour. We talked to him for a moment before he went in. He still had his name tag on and was really friendly. We continued our church tour and when we had finished, he had finished his meeting with the stake president at the same time. We walked up to where he was, by the bishops office and he was standing, head hanging, looking at his two name tags that he was holding in his hand. Tears were in his eyes and we instantly knew that he had just been released. It was a powerful scene to see, a faithful missionary finally having to take off his tag. All at once I felt a deep gratitude that my full-time mission is going still. I held on to my tag tighter. I am so grateful every day for the privilege to serve the Lord full-time. To be able to walk out of the apartment and be at work, preaching and testifying of the Restoration.

Transfer meeting was Tuesday (feels like a long time ago!) and it was great. Nothing changed, area or companion, so it's always a little easier. I also heard that Raymond had two more baptisms: AJ, Machel's son, and Machel's friend Kelsey. Both of them we found while we served there! I love those updates. I also heard Dennis is still going to the temple and saving all his family! The work is hastening!

Love Elder Webber

Scripture: D&C 50:17-20

Elder Webber's Apartment