Manette: DENNIS AT THE TEMPLE!

Dear Family,

This was one of the greatest weeks on my mission from the stand-alone moment of going to the Seattle Temple with Brother Dennis Hart to see him receive his own endowment. We all got there pretty early and it was so much fun to see Dennis again, all dressed in his suit and with his constant, huge grin on his face. After reconnecting after so long and asking how he's doing, we went in to get ready and got to go through the 1:00 session. Ah! I just wish I could explain how cool everything was. Elder Green and I kept looking at each other and thinking "wow." And wondering what it would be like if we only knew we would be here, back when we were first companions, on our way to "Raymond," wherever that was, or when we first discovered Westport, or when we knocked on Dennis' door at 6:59 p.m. or stood in the font together to baptize him. God, the Great Puzzle Maker, has such marvelous plans for us if we only do what is right and follow His guidance.

Smiling at the temple with the Elders

Of course, another temple trip couldn't come without its own "coincidences" or temple miracles. Right when Elder Green and I were at the front desk with Brother Green, a man came in the front door of the temple. The front desk guy said to the man who walked in, "hello Brother Webber!" and Elder Green turned and said to me, "that'll be us in 40 years." Brother Green and Brother Webber going to the temple, ha ha. Of course also at the temple that day was Brother "Papa" Agor, my old ward mission leader from Steilacoom, and his daughter, and two other members I knew, one from Silverdale 1st ward, one from Manette! Just to let me know I was in the right place at the right time.

With Ward Mission Leader Brother Green

I cannot fully describe what it was like. I just have a bright, glorious memory to keep and share forever. Dennis was smiling the entire time, and the Spirit of peace and Godliness pervaded the whole visit. It was like the joy and spirit of a baptism times 100. So crazy to think of Dennis, now an endowed member and holding the Melchizedek priesthood, and everything.

Elder Green, Dennis H, Elder Webber

Our week was also good with the work in Manette. Oh, I forgot to mention transfers ha ha! Elder MacCarthy and I are both staying, as we predicted. So are our ZLs Smith and Goodwine. It'll be another good transfer. The sad news is tomorrow will be the first transfer meeting I won't be able to go to. Probably the only one, though. On Friday, Jeremy got his new snazzy scriptures in the mail and he was super grateful and excited. We had our first official "new member lesson" that night and he brought them along with his Preach My Gospel. He prepared and taught us the first lesson, the Restoration, and did such an incredible job. He is a natural teacher, and mastered several PMG teaching techniques: asking questions, listening, applying to needs, using scriptures, etc. And I love recent converts and their simple grasp of the greatest truth. Their testimonies are so uncluttered by false or unnecessary doctrine. He bore his testimony, too, saying "now I know that God is there." It was very powerful.

Tina is still progressing. When she came to church Sunday, the first thing she told us was, "I have decided that March 9th I'm definitely getting baptized"! Yay! That will be her birthday. One obstacle, however, is she has a fear of water, like having her head go under water, because she had a fearful experience as a child. I think I'll share with her the story of Jonas' baptism and how she can be brave like him. Good job, Jonas! I'm so proud of you.

One more funny story. After sacrament meeting yesterday, we went to say hi to all the people who came (investigators, recent converts, less-actives, etc.) and I saw sitting in the lobby someone familiar. His name is Russel and we went up to say hi and I remembered that this is someone I had taught when I served in Bremerton! He was just on a walk and decided to come back to the church. We talked to him and answered a lot of gospel questions, and he stayed for 2nd and 3rd hour classes too. We have an appointment set for him this week. He said he has changed his life a lot in the past year and wants to learn more about repentance and baptism! He has been through a lot, and could really use the Gospel! I'll keep you updated.

Mission life continues strong. The Wa-Tac is a blessed land. I love my mission and try to not think about how much time I have left, even though it's really hard not to. Elder MacCarthy and I are excited to stay together for another transfer!

Love
Elder Webber

Scripture: Alma 13:3,10-13 (God's plan for His faithful children is so cool)

P.S. "God, the Great Puzzle Maker" is a phrase borrowed from President Weaver :)

Manette: Jeremy blesses the sacrament. One on Date at Church!

Dearest Family,

This week was awesome. Seriously things are good here. Jeremy is doing SO good. I'm so proud of him. He got a job that he started this week doing construction on Bainbridge Island. He said it was cold, wet, hard work, but he's happy to be doing something. We taught him about patriarchal blessings and family history and we'll be going with him this Saturday to the family history center to get him started and then hopefully pick a date to go the the temple with him to do baptisms for the dead. He has a lot of friends at church too, and wee're still trying to bring members to our visits with him. Our ward mission leader had a great idea for his new member lessons. We gave him a copy of Preach My Gospel on Sunday and opened to chapter 3. We asked him to read and study the lessons and then he is going to teach them to us! It will be fun, like a reverse role play. And he wanted us to come over with another young couple in the ward this Sunday for dinner :)

Tina is doing super also. We taught her the plan of Salvation this week and she could really feel the spirit. We brought over a couple members, including our saintly Relief Society President, Sister Wahlquist who is from the Philippines and they got to fellowship. Tina is in her late 50s and lives alone with her little dog "Romeo" who keeps her company and lifts her spirits. She is totally open to the message we share and willing to live it. She has a lot of health problems and several seizures in the past that have impaired her memory, which make it kinda hard to teach her, but she is still excited. The coolest part was after teaching her about the Atonement and reading Alma 7:11-15 (which transitions beautifully from the Atonement into baptism) we asked if she had any questions and she only replied, "so when can I get baptized?" ha, ha so we worked out a date for March 9th, which is her birthday. She could be ready sooner, but this is what she wants. Also she has been keeping the Word of Wisdom since she met with our Bishop 3 weeks ago, and we haven't even taught her that yet. :) Our mission goal this week was to have 65 investigators both at church and on date (one of our key indicators) and we got Tina on date and at church! She came all 3 hours and loved it. Our ward is good at being friendly to new people, which is nice. Especially since we still don't know all the members yet, though we try to say hi to everyone as they come in.

Manette District

I came across this quote this week and really liked it:
"Strength and struggle go together. The supreme reward of struggle is strength. Life is a battle and the greatest joy is to overcome. The pursuit of easy things makes men weak. Do not equip yourself with superior power and hope to escape the responsibility and the work. It cannot be done. It is following the lines of least resistance that makes rivers and men crooked." - Ralph Parlette
I believe missionaries have been endowed and set apart with "superior power" and a mission is a battle of struggles, responsibility, and work. To have joy is to overcome and become stronger. My experiences and struggles on my mission I would not trade for anything, because they have made me who I am. I know that the Savior descended below all things so He could overcome all things and have the power to help us overcome our struggles if we trust Him. I love my Savior Jesus Christ because He loves me and has done so much for me. I feel joy daily as I repent and rely on Him. Missionary work is the best :)

Elder MacCarthy making Lunch

Have a great week everyone,
Love Elder Webber

Scripture: D&C 31:1-3 (really the whole section) (I came across this yesterday. It automatically applied to me!)

P.S. Elder Green and I will be in the temple on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. for Dennis' endowment!!! YAY! I am so unexplainably excited for that. (I don't think that was a real word, but it's the best I could come up with ha, ha)

Manette is Great

Dear Family,

Yes, you may call me Thomas, Tómas, and Tommie-Salomie when I get home :)

This week was great, and Jeremy is doing so good! Yesterday he was ordained to a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood and we had a lesson in our elders quorum class (we have a class just for prospective elders) all about how to help prepare, bless, and pass the sacrament, and Jeremy wants to help out this next week. He also got a job which he has been praying for! We were working with him on recognizing the Holy Ghost, and Sunday he told us he felt the Holy Ghost when he heard he got the job, something that filled him with joy and happiness. He said it was not a new feeling, he realized he had felt the Spirit before in his life. It's cool when people can learn these things through their own experiences.

Elder Webber wears his "Seahawks" tie for a second year

We are also teaching a lady named Tina and she has been to the church before in the past. She has had lots of difficult life experiences, and was homeless for a few weeks, but has a place now. She is super humble and wants to be baptized, we're still working on a date! Also we are teaching a cool family, the mom's names is Carolyn. She is single with 4 kids in a tiny downstairs room. They have LDS friends. So those are some more names to pray for, I never have enough time to explain everyone's story!

We had zone conferences this week which were great. Elder Sutton (one of the APs) got a concussion Monday playing football, so Elder Slavens gave the training on his own ha, ha. He did a great job, it was all a great conference about planning, faith, baptisms, and knocking. Our mission focus is FLLOW (Faith, Love/Lessons, Obedience, Work). And our mission goal is at least 800 baptisms this year, which is about one per companionship per transfer. We are on track!

Zone Conference picture

Zone Conference Lunch

The best call in the world came yesterday. Dennis has a temple date for his endowment! February 12th which is next week. Brother Green is going to drive Elder Green and I. Dennis knows so much religious and Jewish history, I'm excited for him to teach us all about the temple. It will be one the best days of my mission, I'm sure.

I continue to love my mission and make the decision to serve Jesus Christ daily. By continuing repentance, my life has become filled with joy and peace. This work is so true, and so much fun.

Short on time again, I don't like these timed computers. But I love you all!!!

Love Elder Webber

Always finding cats

P.S. The Seahawks lost the super bowl, so the people of Washington have entered a state of depression... ha, ha just kidding, but it's cool they were in the super bowl both years I'm here.

Scripture: Alma 57:35

Manette: Jeremy's baptism and the miraculous Silverdale Fireside

Dear Family,

This week was so awesome! I wish I had more time to tell you all about it. The huge highlight was this weekend. We met with Jeremy almost every day this week, reading the Book of Mormon with him, preparing him for his interview, and sending positive texts every night so he could stay clean living the Word of Wisdom. We bought him like 20 packs of cinnamon gum which opposes the taste of tobacco and keeps the mouth occupied. That with LOTS of prayer and fasting on Saturday he made it! It was a miracle! I thought to fast on Saturday with Elder MacCarthy because I read Sister Megan Baker's mission blog about doing it and it working. I usually fast on Sundays, so doing it extra I think allowed me to use more faith. And it was focused on a specific blessing.

Jeremy's baptismal service

Anyway, Jeremy came and was baptized and he was smiling the whole time. His mom even came to show support and the ward members were all friendly. Elder MacCarthy shared the missionary message (his first time) while they were changing and did a great job.

Sunday he was confirmed, and asked me to do the confirmation. That is my third time on my mission and another very spiritual experience. The best thing was the fireside Sunday. There were 5 recent converts that spoke, and Jeremy agreed to be one of them! It was SO fun to be back up in Silverdale, to see some members I served with (the Warners were there!) and the best part was hearing Jeremy be brave and bear his new-found testimony to a congregation of 150+ people. He talked about how the sisters had knocked on his door at the needed time in his life and how much happier he has been since he has included Jesus Christ in his life and the Church. He said, "I have faith that if I stay in the Church, more good things will come." I was brimming with joy and so filled with the happiness of the moment. Conducting "Amazing Grace" at the end was also sweet. I love the Wa-Tac. Oh, also, Jeremy got interviewed after church, so he should be receiving the Aaronic priesthood this Sunday!

Have a great week!
Love Elder Webber

Scripture: Moroni 10 (I finished the Book of Mormon this morning!)

P.S. GUESS WHO GOT A TEMPLE RECOMMEND? Dennis Hart!!!!!! Elder Green and I will be going to the temple with him in the next few weeks :D :D :D

Baptism of Dennis, Sept 2013

Seattle, WA Temple

MANETTE - people for days, hospitals, and rain

Dear Family,

I hope all is well. I'm glad you could visit grandpa Bob and Nan in Indiana, that looked like lots of fun. We had a good week up in the Wa-Tac. Things feel a little cooled down from last week, as we are adjusting to Manette and getting to know more people. Funny story, Thursday was our park day (park our cars and go on bike) and it was the first day that it rained this transfer. And it caught up by raining a lot. We got home feeling like we had jumped in the Puget Sound. Saturday night there was a big wind and rain storm too. We also have the Harrison Medical Center in our area, pretty close to our apartment, so we get calls like once a week to give a blessing to someone. Both members, one from Port Angeles, one from Port Orchard. And we've helped in two moves since we've been here. Both were unorganized and dirty :P . We left covered in cat hair and smelling like smoke.

Elder MacCarthy has been opening up more and he is the sweetest guy. A really good "green" trainee to have ha, ha. He never complains and is always willing to work hard. We are working together on teaching the lessons and having him prepare things to say.

Christmas Party

Jeremy is doing well! He was at the beach this weekend with his parent, but they came back in time for the Seahawks game, so he came to church! He did give in with his smoking problem, Sunday morning, but if he can make it all this week he can be baptized this Saturday! He is so ready. Not a lot of time left, but things really are good. I love Manette and I am happy to be a missionary. I learn and grow each day. Still make mistakes, but I'm able to repent quickly and learn what I need.

at Night, apparently

Love,
Elder Webber

Scripture: Mosiah 29:19-20 (Humility leads to deliverance from bondage, while God's arm of mercy is always extended)

P.S. Seahawks won yesterday. Looks like they'll be in two super bowls in a row, both years on my mission :) A guy from elders' quorum kept giving us updates at church ha, ha

MANETTE - so crazy

Dear Family,

I won't be able to tell you everything that happened this week because it would probably take several hours. It has been non-stop, go go go, and crazy busy insanity. Doubling in and training is not easy. There's been a lot of growth this week, I'll just put it that way. Probably a good place for my last few transfers on my mission. 

 

Tommy's new companion Elder MacCarthy - direct from the MTC

I love the Manette ward. I am already familiar with most of the streets and some of the people which has been very helpful. We have been glued to our GPS this week, whom we adoringly call Sister Garmin. Elder MacCarthy and I are the replacement for 2 elders and 2 sisters, which means we inherited 3 area books and tons of investigators, potentials, part member families, recent converts, etc. We have met dozens of new people every day and my planner already looks like a mess with all my chicken scratch minuscule note-taking. We have an awesome WML, Brother Brown who has been very helpful. In fact lots of different members have been very helpful and willing to help us out and give us names of people to see. We got 8 new referrals this week which I think is a high for my mission and 5 new investigators including a great family our first day. 

New Missionaries meet their trainers / first companions

Jan 2015 Arrivals and Trainers

We are teaching this super cool young guy (23) named Jeremy. He is so humble and teachable and has been coming to church for the past 2 months. The sister missionaries were teaching him and found him knocking doors. He is tentatively on date for this weekend! But it might move back because I just got a text from him saying he will be out of town this weekend... he is also working on living the Word of Wisdom. But that is his only hold-back. We have had some very spiritual lessons. 

 

Good-byes in Silverdale, Jolene's family

Transfer day - goodbye to Elder Mossbrucker

Well, this week I feel I grew a lot. I realized how much I have changed on my mission and how much better I can talk to people and "be a missionary." Still lots to learn though. I love you all!

Elder Webber

Tommy loves to be asked to conduct the Hymns

From Silverdale down the road to Manette!

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for all the love this week, I had a great birthday. Very different since I am a missionary, and was working all day, probably not the same as other 21st birthdays go - ha, ha. I love the new shoes and belt and all the cards! Thanks also to the Las Flores ward/primary, Aunt CJ, the Osterhouts, grandpa Bob & Nan, grandma Marilyn, and grandpa Jim for all the cards, etc. I love you all! On my birthday we had dinner with the Woestman family, and when they found out it was my birthday they put candles in a tub of oreo ice cream and sang happy birthday :) we have dinner from 4-5 so it was perfect timing ;)

Saying Goodbye to Elder Sharp and the Silverdale Bishop

Like the e-mail says I got my transfer call! I am going "very far away" to the Manette ward, ha, ha which borders where I am serving now in Silverdale and my first area Bremerton! So it is in the Bremerton zone. While sad to leave another ward I love, I am more than excited about this transfer call. I've actually always wanted to serve in Manette, it is a great area for missionary work. I will be training there, which means I am no longer a Zone Leander, but a District Leader, and will be getting doubled in. All 4 missionaries (2 elders and 2 sisters) are leaving that ward and I and my new missionary are coming in! There will be a LOT of work to do. This is exactly what I wanted my last few transfers of my mission. It's the perfect transfer call for me. I'm going to work harder than ever and be more obedient than ever and have lots of fun. Sort of nervous, I have no idea what to expect this week, but look what happened in Raymond.

From Silverdale to Manette, WA (same Zone & Stake)

I will try and express what happened the last few days of this week mainly on Sunday. I can say that God is aware of us always and knows where we are and sends us where we need to be to bring about His great purposes. I learned yesterday that I have done what I was supposed to do in Silverdale, and that is one of the sweetest feelings for a missionary to have. Of course I was not perfect, and I get tempted to feel regrets for weaknesses, but Heavenly Father is so merciful that He still lets us fulfill our callings and be a part in His great miracles. Anyway, enough rambling, I'll tell you what happened.

Saying goodbye to Investigators (Ginger)

Stefani

We had three investigators to church, including Deena and Jamie who came for their second time! It was fast and testimony meeting (yes mom, I bore my testimony ha, ha) right at the end, Deena gets up and walks to the pulpit (I don't think I've ever had an investigator bear their testimony at church). She says how she met Elder Sharp and I and how she started thinking about God as she helped in her childhood cancer charity, and that was right when we knocked on their door. When we met her she wasn't sure if God was really there. She told everyone how we had challenged them to pray for a specific question, and that now she knows God is there and that He answers prayers. How cool is that for a missionary and a ward to hear!

We also saw Ginger at church! She finally made it and was so happy to be there. After church we took a picture together and she pulled us aside and told us thanks for all we had done for their family. She said that ever since she had been meeting with missionaries (about 2 years now) she has been on the fence since she grew up in a different church. But, she told us, "now I know" and wants us to come over this week to figure out what she needs to do next. Basically to figure out her baptism :D :D :D Hallelujah! I felt so happy, heart lifted, and filled with joy to hear that after 4 months of visiting her and trying to figure out how to help their family. There's still a lot that needs to happen, but she is on fire.

Saying goodbye to Faith and the Suggs family

Warner Family

Last, we got to see Faith at church and the Suggs signed up for our dinner calendar that day, so we got to have another visit with all of them before I left. We had chili and cinnamon rolls for dinner, ha, ha, probably the most unusual dinner on my mission, but surprisingly not bad. They said it's an eastern Washington thing. I shared my testimony with them and with Faith and prayed with them at the end. Super spiritual. I realized how much I love all of them.

Birthday Loot

Missionary New Years - at 10:15 PM

I can't even say how much I love my mission or how many experience I have had that are good, life changing, and so precious to me. I am super excited for the next adventure in Manette and for more miracles to see. All my love, good luck back at school this week,

Elder Webber

Scripture:
Ether 1:42 (I read this Sunday morning and it went right to my heart: "Thou shalt go... there will I meet thee" and reassured me for next transfer. "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go")
Ether 2:5-6 (The Lord will show us where to go and lead us, give us directions)
Ether 2:16 (now it's time to "go to work")