IT DOESN’T SEEM THAT COLD (YET)

When the one in Canada says it’s cold, we probably should accept it! (When the one in Mexico says it’s cold, the eye rolls could give us whiplash.) And still his spirit comes through.

December 8, 2014 

Merry Christmas to all!

Greetings to readers. This week was much better than the previous. I’m fully recovered from my illness, which is nice. It’s been pretty cold here, but all tolerable. I was out shoveling snow, and I realized that my feet were frigid. I looked down and started to consider that maybe my $40 Wal-Mart winter boots weren’t going to cut it this season. They served me reasonably well last winter, but I figured that the cold just wasn’t worth it this time around, Also, I wanted some boots that I could use when I was home. I sold the jacket I bought last winter because I didn’t wear it once (layers, people), so I reasoned that that money could translate to keep a different part of my body warm. So, I started looking. It just so happens that a member I know works part-time at Cabela’s. It also just so happens that he gets a pretty impressive employee discount. It also also just so happens that last weekend Cabela’s had a special event where employees got an even bigger discount. It continued to just so happen that the member I know sold footwear for 14+ years, so he knows his stuff. The so-happenings didn’t cease when I found the perfect pair of boots after much diligence in searching, and that that pair was the only pair available in all of Cabela’s Canada since it was sent to that store by a fluke. And it just so happens that they were my size. The stars aligned, Lady Luck smiled upon me, and the Church must be true. I’ll send pictures next week.

The Christmas party is tonight, so I don’t have any anecdotes yet. We don’t have an outline for the program, so we’re just going to wing it. We’ve got some funniness prepared, but we’ll just have to feel it out. I’m going to channel my best Dave and hope for the best. I’m actually pretty confident that it’ll go over well. Maybe it’s my wit and charm, or maybe it’s the fact that I’ll be wearing a Santa onesie. Maybe we’ll never know! And that’s why so is mankind. Pictures to come.

None of the 3Js could meet this week either! C’mon people. We’ve realized that we need to recommit our finding efforts and branch out a bit. This week we’ve set a goal to get two new investigators, so we’ll see how that works. Our less-active and recent convert teaching pool are about the same, with varied progress and commitment. We did meet with Xavier, but it turns out that he wasn’t even in our area, and that he was already meeting with missionaries! The member who referred him to us failed to mention that. We had a good visit, but we won’t be going back. Good luck to the other missionaries!

Yesterday I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting, and I thought I’d share part of what I shared with you. We have the opportunity as missionaries to study Jesus the Christ. It’s one of my favorite books. I’ve read it twice on my mission and it’s brilliant. I gained an interesting insight about the Atonement as I studied. Leading up to His crucifixion, Christ never questioned or doubted. He endured and trusted in Heavenly Father. In Gethsemane He took upon Himself our afflictions and bled from every pore, all the while submitting His will to His Father. While on the cross, the agony from Gethsemane was repeated. It’s interesting to note, then, that the worst part of the Atonement for Christ was when Heavenly Father withdrew His Spirit. That was what frightened and shocked the Savior the most. Only then did He question. Christ had to feel the results of sin, and that to Him was worse than anything He had previously endured. He had been persecuted, mocked, slandered, hated, falsely accused, beaten, scourged, abandoned and crucified; yet for Him, the loss of the Spirit was the most painful and agonizing consequence. If we really understood what happened when we sin, I think we’d rather endure just about anything else than the loss of the Spirit. But we are fallen and inclined to sin. We choose to lose the Spirit every time we sin. How many of us make concessions to avoid embarrassment or shame? How many of us lower our standards because what we’re asked to do is “just too hard”? How many of us knowingly choose disobedience because it feels good in the moment? Making mistakes is understandable, but rebellion is unacceptable. I’m not coming from a position of righteousness, either. I’m not sharing these things because I’ve mastered myself and repentance. I’m just as guilty of rebellion as the next guy. I’m just grateful that I was allowed this knowledge, and that I’ve got the opportunity to apply it. I know that Christ atoned for each of us, and that He wants us to take advantage of what he’s done. Otherwise it’s wasted. I’m grateful for the infinite opportunities our Heavenly Father provides us to repent and be better. I know this Church is true, and I’m blessed to be a part of it.

Thank you all for reading! I hope you have a stupendous week. Merry Christmas! #sharethegift

Keep the faith,

Elder Eli

“THIS WEEK WILL BE BETTER!”

A few days of sick can’t keep this elder down. (Well, okay — it did keep him down . . . but it can’t keep him from getting back up!)

December 1, 2014 

Hello loved ones!

This week was a bit of a drag. I was pretty sick for the bulk of it, so nothing much happened. I was mostly out of commission from Wednesday to Saturday. Ugh. I’m feeling much better, though. There’s very little to report since I was sick.

None of the Three “J”s could meet this week, and the majority of our less-actives couldn’t either. We had so many good weeks in a row, though, so I can’t really complain. There are always bad weeks! They’re just things we have to accept and deal with when they come. This week will be better!

Yikes. Nothing happened. Uh, I went to Costco for lunch! It was really really tasty, and it’s the same price as in America! Also, we’ve got our ward Christmas party next week, and Elder Babb and I were asked to MC. Look out Rainbow Valley YSA. Should be fun.

Okay, now that the Christmas season is officially in swing, go check out christmas.mormon.org! There’s an excellent initiative going on right now called “He is the Gift”. It’s inspiring! Look at the website, watch the video, then post it on any social media platform! Such an easy, safe way to do missionary work. Don’t let this opportunity pass! Share the Gift!

In spite of a bad week, I’m so grateful to be on my mission and to be experiencing the growth that I am. I love this Gospel and I love my Savior. Thank you all for your love and support!

Share the faith,

Elder Eli

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

The post itself has nothing specific to do with the holidays, but today is Thanksgiving in the U.S. and Elder Eli’s father is just now getting to the posting of the goods:

Comrades!

I pray for your health and well-being. I myself am in good health, and I’d say that my being is pretty well. I’ll let you know if anything changes.

Travis’s baptism day

Jordan’s baptism day

This was a great week. They go by so fast! Honestly. On Tuesday we had our zone conference! It was great. I love being able to interact with President Manion. He is an inspired man, and he really loves his missionaries. There were two zones participating in this conference, and for part of it we split into our individual zones and the zone leaders had the opportunity of giving a training on the Atonement. The goal was to help missionaries get a better idea of how to make the Atonement a bigger part of their teaching, and Elder Babb and I agreed that the most important part of teaching the Atonement is having your own personal conversion first. So our training centered on obtaining a personal testimony of the Atonement, then translating that to helping those we meet obtain one for themselves. I feel like it went well!

Other than zone conference there wasn’t anything unorthodox about our week. Just a lot of teaching and interacting! Oh! We do have a new investigator. Her name is Jennifer. She was referred to us by a member. Currently, she’s learning from us because she’s doing a report for school, but she really likes what we have to say, and she even came to church! She’s awesome. What’s weird, though, is that now our three investigators are named Jody, Jessica, and Jennifer. What’s up with that? Hopefully the streak will be broken tomorrow when we meet with a new potential named Xavier. Fingers crossed!

Also, Travis received the priesthood on Sunday! I was able to perform the ordinance, and it was a special experience! I think what I liked especially about it was that I was able to take Travis through the entire process, up to this point. I was able to baptise and confirm him, then I was able to give him the priesthood! I know that that’s not what it’s about at all, but I do consider myself blessed to have been so involved. The church is true!

I’m grateful for my mission and for the experiences I’m having! I love this gospel, and I can’t imagine what I would do without the light and hope that it provides! I found an excellent quote by my fourth-great-grandfather, Parley P. Pratt, so I’ll close with that:

“And when the Spirit of God is upon me, I think it matters but very little what I suffer, what I sacrificed–whether I secure the honor or dishonor of men, or where I die, if it so be that I can keep the faith, fight the good fight, and finish my course with joy. I have all eternity before me, in which to enjoy myself.”

Keep the faith,

Elder Webb

Thanks to a member’s tickets AND a willing investigator
(mission rules)

DO THEY HAVE EXTRADITION IN CANADA?

First missionary fender-bender report . . . So far he’s still loose on his own recognizance. Let’s be careful out there.

We got after Elder Eli for not sending enough pictures, so he dropped hints to someone at Family Home Evening that night, and a mystery member sent us this pic! Thank you, technology. Huzzah!

17 November 2014

Family units,

I forgot to tell you! Two weeks ago we got in a car accident! Nothing serious. Canadians take liberties when it comes to crossing streets, and what's different about here is that drivers need to stop for them. So some woman was crossing the street where there wasn't a cross walk and I had to stop. I did, but the woman behind me wasn't paying attention and we got rear-ended. That's all. Pretty basic. The woman who hit us was kind of in shock, but everything ended up okay. Good times!

Good week. We met with Jessica this week and she's doing really well! She loved the lesson we gave her. She's still set for baptism on the 29th. She's even sharing what we teach her with her older brother! Apparently he liked what he heard, so now we're trying to get her to invite him to be taught, Good things.

We were unable to meet with Jody this week, but she was able to make it out to church! She's been to a few different churches since she's been to ours, and every time she goes she says that she doesn't feel the Spirit at the other churches. She's seeing the difference, but what needs to happen now is a serious commitment. We'll see!

We had interviews with President Manion this week! I love that man. I'm so grateful that he is who he is. We've got a good relationship and I'm lucky to associate closely with him.

Max, Mom and Dad, Skyler says hi! He asks about you all the time. He's so funny. He's looked me up on Facebook, and I'm pretty sure he's sent a friend request to Max. He also wanted to add Hannah, but he assumed it was Hannah Call and not Woolley, so now he's friends with both of them. Classic Skyler.

I'm so grateful for the Atonement. I don't know it as well as I'd like, but I'm grateful for what I do understand, and I'm trying to learn more. Thanks for reading!

Keep the faith,

Elder Webb

THERE’S A CHILL IN THE AIR

Oh, the weather outside is becoming frightful, but the testimony-building experiences are so delightful...:

November 10, 2014 

Transfers happened this week, and I’m with Elder Babb now. He’s excellent, and I’m excited for the work we’re doing. We get along famously. Our zone is also excellent, and I’m grateful for the missionaries I get to serve around. It’s so strange to see missionaries who have been such a big part of my mission go home. Time goes so fast! I’m at 17 months now. Mind-blowing.

This was an excellent week! We had Travis’ baptism, and it went so well! It just so happens that his baptism fell on the day of the first snowfall (son of a), so there were a lot of accidents and delays. When it came down to it, everything went of without a hitch. He asked me to baptise him, and a good time was had by all. Sunday was crazy. First, we had Travis’ confirmation during sacrament meeting. He asked me to do the confirmation as well, so I felt blessed. It was special to officiate in both ordinances. Then we had the opportunity to give Jordan the Aaronic Priesthood during priesthood, and he asked me to do that for him! Giving blessings is interesting. Jordan’s ordination was a lot different from Skyler’s. They’re both doing really well. After church a sister in the ward asked for a blessing, so we did that for her, then my companion and I were asked to give three more blessings after that! All in all, I participated in six blessings on Sunday, and I was the voice for four of them. I don’t know what it was with that day, but I’m grateful for the power of the priesthood and the opportunities we have to serve with it. The Church is true!

By the way, I say “the Church is true” as comical aside quite frequently... I don’t know why, but it’s caught on, and now a number of members and missionaries with whom I have the pleasure of spending time also say it, and it’s become sort of a mantra for our little gang. I’d say it gets a good laugh 90% of the times I use it, and at least a knowing chuckle the other 10%. Totally worth it.

The temperature has plummeted since yesterday. We went from a balmy -7 degrees Celsius [19° F] to a less-balmy -24 degrees Celsius [-11° F]. Jinkies. That’s snot-freezing cold, for you folks at home. Luckily I know a thing or two about Canadian winters; and I know that as long as you’ve got some Helly Hansen thermals, some deer hide mitts and sheer grit and determination, you’ll be just fine. A car also helps.

Dad and Mom, when I Skype/Face Time it will be on Christmas Day. I don’t know exactly when during the day it will be, but I’m pretty flexible. We’ve got all of Christmas Day off. I’ll provide more info as it gets closer.

I love my mission and this gospel. I’m grateful for the frequent opportunities for growth and change. I hope to continue to grow and change to become the missionary and man my Heavenly Father would have me become. Thank you all for reading and writing! I love you (probably) and I hope you’re happy (definitely). The Church is true!

Keep the faith,

Northern Elder Webb

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