Sadly Soundview Ends, Next Adventure: Silverdale!

Dear Family,

Happy Labor day and start of school! We got to use the computers today at the family history center at our church building, since all the libraries are closed. So, surprise! email from me on a holiday! Also a surprise, I am being transferred out of Soundview to the Silverdale 1st ward. We got our calls on Saturday night. Elder Johnsen served in the Soundview ward over a year ago, and went from there to Silverdale. It's actually right up next to Bremerton, I think that my area borders the Bremerton ward. I will be serving with Elder Mossbrucker, who was my zone leader down in Lakewood, when I was in the Steilacoom ward. He is awesome, I am very excited to be his companion, and learn a lot from him. He served in Lakewood with Elder Anderson and then Elder Johnsen so we have a few mutual friends already. I've heard good things about the Silverdale Zone (which is its own stake, like most the zones in our mission). Good members, and family focused missionary work. Mixed with the anticipation and excitement is some sadness to be leaving the Soundview ward, they have been so good to me here. I might not notice it until I leave but I love these people. I have grown tremendously while serving here and had my most difficult days. I am also really going to miss Elder Slavens. I have been so blessed with good companions. he is a very close friend to me and has been very patient with me and all of my flaws. I learned so much about the gospel from him and had many questions answered. I am really glad that so many people from my mission are either going to BYU, or live in Utah ha, ha. Blessings of state-side missions!

Elder Tommy Webber and Elder Slavens

D-Land Shirts from Mom

Candid while out knocking...

This means we get to attend transfer meeting tomorrow! It always pumps me up and gets me excited to go out and do work. It will be weird tomorrow because Elder Anderson is going home!

We had a few miracles this week I want to share about. I've gotten into a very reflective mood again because I'm pondering the past 6 moths here in Soundview which have flown by. I have had more investigators come and go in this area than any other I have served in. A lot of people the Lord has let me meet and whom I have gotten to know and love. I have so much love for the recent converts. Maike, Syreeta, and Tiffany. And also those I haven't made much mention of, whom the sisters taught here and baptized: the Rodriguez family, the Thompson family, Abraham, Monica, and Christa. Each has their own unique story of conversion. Tiffany came to church this week which we were super excited about. This Friday our ward has a new member temple trip to do baptisms. Sadly I won't be here for it, but I am so excited for all of them. The mission has gained a new focus on retaining converts. Across the mission we have seen more new members stay in the church and make their way to the temple.

Soundview Elders, Ward Mission Leader and Sisters

As for the investigators, we had an amazing church tour with Larry this week. I don't remember if I have mentioned Larry yet. But we hadn't been able to get him to commit to church, so we thought about giving him a church tour. At the start, he was saying that he wasn't sure, but as we went into the chapel, then the classroom and showed him the baptism font, he opened up and strongly committed to church.

On Friday we got a phone call from a former investigator, Ronnie. He was met through a member referral last February, right before I came to Soundview. He had always promised he'd come to church but never came. He spent the last few weeks with his sister who is a member. She kept telling him to try attending church and meeting with the "Tacoma missionaries" and so he gave us a call, announcing that he was coming to church and that he wanted to meet with us Saturday. And he did!!!!! That was a major miracle.

Sadly, we haven't seen D___ this week. We think she is still struggling to quit smoking and so she is avoiding meeting with us. Good news is her mom, Cleo is still strong. She has come to church like 5 or 6 times now and is living the word of wisdom, and coming to our Book of Mormon classes, and hopefully going to the temple for baptisms soon. It has been incredible to see the change in her these past 6 weeks.

Just another day walking the streets in Washington (Bambi is on the right)

I love this work, the Lord has been so good to me and provided for my needs. He continues to challenge me and try my faith. It's always about faith, and the test is if we will remain true, because I promise that He always will.

From Soundview (East Tacoma) to Silverdale

Love,
Elder Webber

P.S. Thank you mom for the package this week! Elder Slavens and I love the Disneyland shirts (Elder Slavens says thank you) :) and thank you grandma for your package as well with all those yummy snacks. It means a lot to me!

Scripture: 3 Nephi 18:32