Manette: Elder Maynes visits the WaTac!

Dear family,

This week was alright, the ups and downs as usual. Bad news is Tina fell off date for baptism, which would have been tonight :( We taught her the law of tithing and Word of Wisdom this week, and she felt she couldn't quite do it. Our Bishop agreed to meet with her and reassure her about things. We know that with every commandment the Lord provides a way (1 Nephi 3:7), but that takes faith. She also has still been having a hard time with her recent family member who passed away. We are going to visit her today to say Happy Birthday and try and get her on track again. Satan works extra hard on investigators the week before their baptism. Anti, self-doubt, crazy outside influences, you name it. It's really sad.

The positive this week was definitely the visit from Elder Richard J. Maynes, of the Presidency of the Seventy. We had a mission wide meeting Saturday morning, and then he came to the Bremerton stake (one of ten options) for a special stake conference we held! Our meeting Saturday was my favorite. We all got to shake his hand, then we read some familiar scriptures and got SO much out of it as he explained things and asked questions, then he taught some techniques on missionary work. He talked about how to set goals and plan and always focus on our missionary purpose, especially the central commitment to baptism. He taught about the opposition of faith and fear and how we need more faith than fear when it comes to things like opening our mouth (OYM) at all times and making bold invites, not weak ones. One missionary trap is to have weak invites that don't offend, or help, progress our investigators, then we keep visiting people who are not prepared. We are looking for those who are "truth seekers." He told us how well the Church is doing and bore his "especial witness" of Christ. I can tell you the Spirit filled the room as we heard that.

Elder Thomas Webber finds another cat

Our stake conference was great too, and our stake president, President Anderson, has such excitement, vigor, and vision for the work of the Lord in Bremerton. He sees stakes here and a temple some day! I love that our Church is always growing, from Joseph Smith + 5 more initial members in April of 1830 to President Monson + 15,000,00 more in March of 2015. We are making the history of the Church right now in our lives and it is so exciting.

Washington Blossoms

The sun continues to shine in Washington, we will all go as a zone to the park today to play some outdoor games. Even when all our appointments fall through in one day, it helps me to see the grand picture of the work of Heavenly Father, and to remember with gratitude the "many mighty miracles" (Alma 26:12) he has blessed me with on my mission. I pray for a few more while I'm here. I know the work is true.

Day-light savings means more tracting doors before dark

Love,
Elder Webber

Random Scriptures of Strength:
Ephesians 6:12-13
Hebrews 4:14-15
Alma 15:8
Romans 13:14
Mosiah 3:7