Silverdale: Christmas is Coming!

Family,

Wow, I cannot believe it is already Christmas week! I hope and wish the best Christmas ever to you guys and that you can have a ton of fun and warm memories made. I love you so much and I cannot wait to see you on Thursday. We had a very fun week, getting ready for Christmas. We've gotten a lot of cookies/fudge/cake and written a lot of Christmas thank you cards and given out dozens of "He Is the Gift" pass-along cards.

Tommy's missionary Christmas display

We are super excited for Faith's baptism this weekend. She is SO ready! We also got to meet Faith's family this week, and talk with her mom who is not really active. Her mom grew up in the Church but has had a lot of negative experiences with members, even in her family. So she has no problem with the teachings or principles, just in going to church or anything like that. This makes Faith's story so much more amazing to me. Without the stellar Suggs family, she might not have had this chance. But Faith is so good, so brave and sweet and pure and full of excitement. She is an example to her family, making sure she says her prayers at home and reads her Book of Mormon :) We will have her baptism this Saturday the 27th at 11:00 a.m. and her whole family will get to be there and her grandparents from California. She asked me to give the talk on baptism! You'll get pictures for sure!

We had her last lesson on Sunday, after the Suggs fed us dinner. We taught Faith about the temple and there was this moment I just felt love for Faith and the Suggs family. Almost sad it was the last lesson before her baptism since it has been such a joy and privilege to teach someone so prepared. I repeat my mission scripture: 3 Nephi 9:22!

A family of deer that frequently travel through Tommy's back yard

Close-up of the "Dad"

Yvonne has been back and forth still :( currently she's not on date for baptism, but she did come to our ward Christmas party on Friday which was AMAZING! There were tons of people there, including several less-active families and at least 15 non members, half of which we didn't even invite, the members did. Yvonne, Faith, Ginger and her family, the Creas, and June and her family, Khalil and his mom! And a few more part member families! It was so much fun.

One of Tommy's favorite snacks - Goldfish crackers, Christmas colored

I love you all so much, I'll get to talk to you more on Thursday. I know Christ lives and we have the chance to accept his Christmas gift to us: love, peace, and hope. He is the Light and the Life of the world. I love Him and will serve Him all of my life. By losing our lives in service, in giving, in these little opportunities (especially at Christmas time), we find our life - true happiness. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Love Elder Webber

Scripture: 3 Nephi 9:22 (see above)