I have basically been adopted!

Hello!

How are you all?!  I love you all so much!

So, we had another great week.  I basically have been adopted by Paola and her family.  It is so great! Whenever they have family parties the missionaries always are invited too!  It was Paola´s (the hija) birthday yesterday and we of course were invited to their family once (it is dinner here but later and more rico.) We ate completos and a really delicious cake.  After we answered some questions for Edgardo about the Book of Mormon (his questions were in the middle of Mosiah where there are like twenty different groups of people doing different things. No wonder he was confused. Turns out he really did understand it all because he read the book of Mosiah like three times!)  And, we looked at pictures of their family for like and hour... I know we are bad missionaries but it was so fun!  It was so fun to watch Edgardo´s face light up as he was talking about one of his girls or some memory with his (basically) wife.  Paola could have shown us pictures all night.  They have a beautiful family that can be eternal!  I want that for them so bad!  They are so sweet!  They continue to progress and experience miracles for their progression.  I love finding myself part of this adorable family. Thank you for your prayers those are good ... keep praying for them because I know Satan really does not want all of them to progress and they all need to keep progressing together. 

Erica accepted a fecha for her baptism!  She is so sweet!  It was a pretty cool week all about sacerdocio!  (Priesthood.)  We taught so many lessons and learned so much about Sacerdocio!  One of the things I love that God does most is when I am teaching other people I learn more than they do sometimes.  I find that really beautiful!  It is always the opposite of what you think.  You would think that when I was teaching about priesthood, I would not learn anything new because I am the teacher... That is why God said His logic confounds the wise!  Erika and another investigator we have (Rosa), were confused about why it is important to specifically get baptized in our church.  It was pretty beautiful to learn about the priesthood.  It is a beautiful gift we have.  I read a lot about it.  I find it interesting because the attributes we need for the priesthood are the same as the attributes we need for charity (D and C 20 and Moroni 7) Also Alma 13 is super cool!  We are super blessed because our covenants with God are for forever!  I always thought about that with covenants for family but I never thought about it for covenants like baptism.  It is a huge blessing to have a covenant with God that will last forever!  (Because I made that covenant through the priesthood of God.)  Of course I am most grateful that that same priesthood works for our family!  It is another example of something that will last forever because it was sealed with the priesthood of God.   It is interesting how things like power in the family, the power in the priesthood, the power in the Book of Mormon and the power in the Atonement all connect.  Probably because when it all comes down to it they are pretty much the same, LOVE!!!   It is really powerful!  How beautiful is it that the men (people) in our church are blessed with that very power straight from God.  And how we use that power that is basically love to help make the things that we LOVE last forever! (my relationship with God and my relationship with you guys.)

We got a new companion de apartamento!  That was exciting because she is a gringa!  I forgot how much I do love English.  No, but it is nice to let my head rest at night and talk a little in English.  I am loving Spanish more and more.  I have not quite learned how to use them yet but I really like the commands.  :-)

Anyway life is great! I love you all!

Hermana Webb

 

 

We are so not alone!!

Misión Chile Santiago Este
Cristobal Colón 6824
Las Condes, Casilla 27.144
Santiago, Región Metropolitana
Chile

 Hermana Maciel

Family!  Hey!  How are you all?!  I would like to first announce that I am safe!  I do not have to leave good old Apoquindo B.!!!!  Which is the best, by the way!  I really think now that I have heard about all of the other sectors this is the best sector in the entire mission and since we all know this is the best mission in the entire world; I am basically in the best sector in the entire world.  So, naturally, I really did not want to leave.

Carlie's Zone

Paola and her family are still doing super well.  Paola is officially divorced with her old husband and now we are anxiously waiting the 250 days that we have to wait until she can marry Edgardo and they can get baptized. We spend a lot of time at their house which could not make me happier.  I wish I could explain to you how good Paola is!  She just loves to help people!  She has this way of working her fingers to the bone to barely keep her self alive and bless and lift every person around her!  Her kids are following in her wise footsteps. Vania is always ready to help.  She is only thirteen but acts like a wise twenty year old.  Josefa is progressing too.  Almost every time I see her she proudly announces that she prayed.  Basically ... I love them! 

Ariela (the manos activo and madre de Rodrigo) is having a hard time.  It is hard to know how to help her.  Her problems are justifiable and I feel bad telling her that even though she did work all through the night, she still needs to get up and get to the capilla the next day for three hours.  I would have a hard time if I had that problem too.  Then to make things worse her house is totally falling apart and I don´t know how to help her fix it for good, not just for a week.  It is hard to even feel the spirit in her house because of all of the stuff.  She is such a good person and is working so hard for her kids.  She obviously feels the blessings of the gospel through her kids, but it is still so hard for her to do things like go to church. The problem is too .... that affects her son and daughter. 

Erika is new.  She lives in the sector de los elderes, pero she has no esposo entonces we get to visit and teach her, which is awesome because she is so great!  Erika has a lot of trials in her life.  But she is choosing to respond with faith!  Everything we teach her - it is like she already knows it!  I love it because it is obvious God is teaching her and she is listening!  I love it when that happens because they progress so much faster! (obviously)  I probably told you guys about her already.   But she is so cute.  It is so weird ... people tell us all of the time that we are like angels who come into their home.  I think they are getting it mixed up.  I think they are just noticing the angels that are following us around.   She is one that tells us that the most.  I love being in her house because she reminds me of the angels.  Her dad passed away a year ago and he did not believe in God.  I guess he was a little rough around the edges but Erika loves him so much!  I like to think Grandpa has a really good personality to convince him that there is a God who loves him!  I love this whole missionary work thing.  We are so not alone!

I think that is about it! We are super excited to have one more cambio juntos!  Hermana Maciel really is an amazing missionary!  It has been so fun to work with her and learn from her!  I can´t wait to see what I will learn in the next 6 weeks from her. 

Dad suggested that I write down the different reasons I have hope:

1. I have a God that knows me and LOVES me.

2. I have a Savior who died for me because he LOVES me.

3. I have the greatest family ever that is bound forever in LOVE.

4. I have the hope of a forever family of my very own that will be bound in the same LOVE forever!

5. I have the hope of changing and becoming better every day, and having a greater capacity to LOVE as I do it.

6. The people that I LOVE can receive all of the same blessings I listed!

7. One day I can fall at the Savior's feet and declare I did all I could to LOVE and have faith in him.

8. Because LOVE is even stronger than death, I can feel the love throughout my life.  I don´t even have to wait. 

9. God´s LOVE is even stronger than death. I can feel the LOVE throughout my life I don´t even have to wait. 

10. Because God has perfect LOVE for me, He also has perfect patience with my weaknesses.

Did you guys catch the pattern?  I tried to point it out.  LOVE!   LOVE is the reason this all works. My faith is weak; I can be pretty prideful at times but I love our Savior and I love these people here, so it turns out God still lets me teach.  Or in other words as Sara loves to say:  "I believe in Christ so come what may!"  I love you all!

Hermana Webb

(Cute Hermana Lori DeYoung delivering a package and hug to Carlie for me.)

"Wow! I am talking in Spanish ... and because I know the words are correct, the words almost taste good!!"

Carlie's computer didn't work for uploading her own photos this week

so I added the photo I took of darling Hermana Lori DeYoung and her parents

who returned to visit in Chile this week and delivered (successfully) 

a package and hug to Carlie.  Yep!  She's my new hero.  Love this girl, too!!

Happy Independence Day of Chile!!  (September 16)

So This week was pretty exciting...... First they have two holidays right next to each other in the last week and this week so we have been pretty exciting here.  The first holiday is not really a holiday. It is more like a 'We are angry at the world so lets set a bunch of stuff on fire day!!'

Yeah, I don't get it either.  But it is cool.  Exactly 40 years ago last week a dictator took power in Chile and a bunch of other South American countries too, so they show their anger at the government that day.  Anyway, we had to go home early because of it.  It turned out to be really fun because we stayed in and watched 17 Miracles.  Oh wait! It was not fun because we watched 17 Miracles.  What a terrible movie!  I cried like all night.  I feel pretty cool that I was here for their protest though. Nothing bad happened -- I am pretty sure my sector was pretty calm. 

In other news, my life is really good!  Last week we woke up early to get my carnet.  It is this day where you go to the middle of Santiago and stand in a really long fila.  It was super great because I got to see all of my friends of the CCM.  We so very much enjoyed the yummy treats mom sent to me in the mail while we were waiting in line.  This means I am almost a Chilean!  That makes me pretty happy!!!!

So my new hair is still freaking me out!  I look so much like mom it is kind of scary.  The other day when I walked past the mirror I scared myself.  Sometimes when I see myself I think that it is someone else and look for me.  But we have had fun with the only change we can have that is within the rules

Things are so great here!  I love how much Paola and her family are progressing!  Paola has made the decision and wants to get baptized!  But the bummer part is we have to wait until she can get married which is a good 240 days from now.  There is this terrible law that all of the women have to wait for 250 days before they can get remarried after a divorce.  And if you were wondering, men don't have to wait, but women do!  I hate that!  In the mean time they are all reading their scriptures every night, they are praying together as a family, and Paola just started paying tithing!!  I love them so much! Hermana Maciel was sick this week and she called us to make sure she was okay.  Juan Pablo stole the phone and told me that he was praying for us. Yeah, basically I could not be happier with them. 

We gave a Book of Mormon to Diana (the hija de Lourdes) this week. Lourdes was so excited and so were we!  It was a miracle that we were able to!  She took it with a pretty big smile so hopefully one day we will be able to teach her!  We are really going to continue to work with that family too. 

Javier is doing really well too!  He is the guy from Peru.  He is so cute!  We challenged him to baptism this week but I don't think he is quite ready.  We will see what happens.  He is a really good guy!  I love talking with him because he has obviously thought about this stuff a lot and is really educated. 

Ariela is a sweet heart and is struggling.  Dad was right in his letter ... that is exactly how I feel!  I know that principles of the gospel will bless her so much but she is not trying it!  It is so hard to expect it of her though, because she is so tired!  She just does not have the energy for church after working all night and I don't really blame her. 

My Spanish is better!!  It is so funny how sweet it is to have a conversation with someone now.  The words that I am saying almost taste good because I know what words are correct.  It feels weird still to think wow ... I am talking in Spanish!!  I love it!  My comp was so good to teach me!

Basically that is it.  We are doing so well.  We are loving life!  The only fome part is this could very well be our last week together.  Cambios are this week.  Pray that I don't leave!  I want one more change here!  I am finally getting Spanish and I want to finally have like a real relationship with all of these people that I love so much!

I want more time to write you all but I just don't have it this week!  I am still very happy with my family.  I had an interview with my mission president this week and first I had an interview with his wife.   She told me that she read my blog and cried. We just sat and cried for the whole interview about how much we love our families through the whole interview.  I am pretty blessed!

Carlie and her mission presidents: David and Cynthia Wright

God told Ammon that he could testify with power when he had the spirit.  I am so blessed because it is not hard to have the spirit when I am talking about you guys.  I testify of families every day!  I am obsessed!  I think everyone in the entire world needs to know of the power in the Book of Mormon and the power that can come from an eternal family! 

This mission thing is so great!  The other week I was crying really hard during personal study.  That day we were in a threesome and my new (for a day) companion was very worried about me. Hermana Maciel did not even notice and when Hermana Del Barrio pointed it out, Hermana Maciel looked up and said "oh, that is normal.  Yeah, I cry every day!  I am so happy I can't stop!  There is miracle after miracle!  God is so fast at answering my prayers in such beautiful ways!  I just want to change so I can continue to learn!  This is not just a big will power fight, this is our chance to completely change and not even want the bad anymore. (Mosiah 5)  I am so grateful for this year and a half where I have the chance to focus on that change.  I find every week more and more that the change comes easier when I am loving and helping someone else.  My intentions are purer, my prayers are more focused and my actions are more productive.  Love is always the answer!  It is how the Atonement works, and it is how there is power in our family and it is how we, as missionaries can teach with power!  I love you all!  And l love my Savior who granted all of this love to me!  I find more and more every day how true the quote is:   "The only thing that is good in me is Jesus!"  (from a Michael O'Brian song) 

It is so true!  I love being his servant even though I am so weak. I hope one day to always have my heart full of love because that is when I can really be cool:)

Love you all

Hermana Webb

Wouldn't you know the Book of Mormon worked again!!

 

First, we lost our golden referencia.  Her name is Marialena.  She is such a sweetheart.  We challenged her to baptism a couple of weeks ago and she accepted with her daughter!  It was super exciting and the first lesson.  But the next week she called and cancelled and told us she might not want any more.  We went to her house this week and it was easy to tell she was having a hard time. Her face looked darker as she explained that she just does not think that she will ever have the hope of a family like our church talks about.  We were all crying as my comp and I tried to explain the infinite reality of the Atonement but she would not hear any of it.  After the lesson Hermana Maciel and I just sat on the other side of the wall and cried.  To add to the fome-ness we lost Isidora this week.  It was just kind of obvious that she was not progressing.  She finally told us herself that we were just wasting our time.  I tried to explain that it was not just that we wanted her to get baptized it was that we love her and want to help her and her family.  Sadly though, she is right.  She is not progressing and we can´t help her no matter how much we want to unless she makes a couple of changes in her life.  I have the blessings of an eternal and even an ideal family!  I want other people to have them too so bad!  I wish there was a way to explain what is ahead if they will just make those changes I am asking them to make but there is no way to.  They have to experience them for themselves because it turns out there are no words in Spanish and tampoco in English.  I love the book Our Search For Happiness. There is a part where Elder Ballard is talking with a minister who wants to see the plates.  Elder Ballard says 'you know there is absolutely no truth that is revealed by physical proof'.  He is right.  I have studied it a lot and I have come to the logical conclusion that this really could not exist if there was not a God but that is not why I am on a mission.  That conclusion is interesting but not enough to put me on a plane to Chile.  It was absolutely the Spirit! 

The week ended with some pretty big tender mercies.  Erika is a new investigator and future member! Ha ha okay she has not committed yet or anything but she is totally going to.  She is a sweet heart. her life is hard too!  Turns out a lot of people´s lives are hard.  But she is choosing hope.  We should have challenged her to baptism by now so that will definitely happen this week.  She has a heart so open that God teaches her the stuff before we can.  I love that!  God is such a better teacher than me!

Also we found a man named Habier.  We were teaching him when randomly he said yeah I will come to your church this week.  My companion and I just looked at each other surprised.  Ahhh.... yeah! Sweet!  Of course you are invited!  He is very intelligent but he uses his intelligence to learn more from God which is awesome because I am learning how to be better through him.  I love how God does that!  Chuta dad!  I am so suprised at how open the Peruanos are here!  It is so crazy!  Habier and his entire family are from Peru.  We have run into so many golden people and they are all from Peru!  Thought you would like to know. 

We had to drop two people that I love a lot and that was hard but God is good and blessed us to find two more.  And for this weeks chistoso and so you know that I still am learning Spanish: We were talking to a man in the street who was talking about the history of his father´s different religions and as he moved down the list of religions I did not understand.  I knew he was talking about something about religions so I said what I always say: que bueno entonces usted tiene muchísimo fe.  Ha ha!!  He was not talking about a religion with faith he was talking about some cult his father went to that worshiped satan.  Ha ha whoops!  And then to make it worse he started talking about when he was a joven.  I heard joven and thought he was talking about Jose Smith.  He was not.  But I interjected and said Jose Smith out of the blue.  You can imagine my companions at this time (we were a threesome with Hermana Del Barrio that night) they looked at each other and just lost it.  I did not know why but it was pretty funny to hear the story afterwards!  Turns out I still have a lot to learn!  So now whenever I respond to my companion and it does not make sense she laughs and says Jose Smith. I know I will learn this Spanish thing one day! 

So now for Paula and her family!  Oh my word I love them with all of my heart!  We are still teaching Josefa seperate how to read.   And wouldn't you know the Book of Mormon worked again!  She already has better grades!  So much so that her teachers are noticing!  Hello!  We should use the Book of Mormon in our schools!  I am not kidding that book has power!  I love that God is letting me strengthen my testimony with my favorite people, doing my favorite things in my favorite book!  And then generally afterward Paola feeds us fresh bread or Sopapeas!  (Yes God loves me!!)  The other day in church, we were talking about tithing, and Paola raised her hand and said: 'I am not a member yet but I would like to pay tithing can I?'..... What?!?!?!  Excuse me?!  I love her so much!  Vania has already started her personal progress and is planning on going on a mission!  Edgardo (el esposo) has discovered the power of the Book of Mormon too!  He is in Words of Mormon.  He read all of first and second Nephi, did not blink through Isaiah and was still strong after Jacob five!  I love this family so much!!

I love you all so much!  I continue to learn!  And I continue to feel frustrated that there really is not way for me to express how much I have been learning and my deep love for the Savior and how it grows everyday.  Every day I am more and more grateful for our family!  I know I say this like every week but We have it!  We have that thing that so many people don´t get in this life!  We have this complete joy all wrapped up in the beautiful word FAMILY!  We know what the joy is like!  I hope you guys know how grateful I am for all of you!  I am so different because each of you!  I have more faith as I think of the conversation I had with Taylor about how believing is a choice!  I find more joy in the ties that bind my family as I think of mom´s pure love and charity for each of us and our ancestors.  I have more wisdom as I read the advice of my dad who I swear is reading my thoughts.  I laugh more and breathe (for once) as I see the good in other things when I look through the eyes of Sara.  I learn more about what is around me as I learn from what Heather has learned from what is around her.  And, I enjoy every moment more as I remember as Lauren suggested that we should laugh more than cry!  I am different!  I could give a nice long list for each of you!  Thank you!  I love you all!

Love Hermana Webb!!

Que BONITA this work is!!

(Donating her hair again ..... Love this girl!!)

 

Hey family!!

I love you all! Can I tell you how very much I love you letters?! I laugh and cry a lot when I read them. It feels weird because you guys always seem to know just what to say to make me really happy or really excited to be a missionary. 

First of all, Sara I can´t believe Utah State did it again! I am so tired off them being almost awesome!

Second, I am sad to say I have not gotten any mail from you guys yet but I am really excited for the day when it all comes flooding in. You are right there was a strike -- I did not know they got it figured out though. 

Third, Dad I love you so much!  I loved your story of the temple and it was just what I needed.  I want to go to the temple possibly this week.

So this week was awesome!  I love my life!  First of all and most exciting, we had another baptism.  It was so nice! Marianna is the hija de Lourdes, a converso recenté. She is such a sweet heart!  When she was baptized I was flooded with the reminder that I am here for a really sweet reason and I am really blessed!  Que BONITA this work is!  I love that now she has access to the same blessings that I have access to.  It felt so good to have another reminder that this work is true and this dunking under the water is not just another crazy ritual we humans have made up. 

 

 

I wish that I ran into more drunk people but sadly no. It was a pretty normal week other than of course the baptism. We are working really hard to find menos activos todavía and it is working really well.  Now that we have found them, we just need to get them to church.   That is the tricky part. 

I have been thinking a lot about the idea of siempre!  I have been called on a full time mission.  The rules are so strict -- there is literally no time to not be a missionary.  I was at first a little frustrated with it.  I like having my breaks.  As a student or in my job there are breaks.  During the summer I am not really a student.  I don´t have to study.  I look forward to the weekends when I don´t have to go to class.  To the surprise of everyone here, we don´t get breaks as missionaries.  We are always called and set apart for this year and a half and then never again.  When I write you guys I am supposed to be a missionary too.  I am supposed to bear my testimony and stuff.  Every second of every day should be used for something awesome for one year and a half.  Do you have any idea how tiring that is? (don´t worry I am not stressing myself out.)  I have discovered that this can be super intense. When I do not have the Spirit, I can´t talk.  So I quickly notice when something needs to change (We all know how much I love to talk;)).   I am discovering something about God.  He wants all of me! His jobs do not stop.  A lot of the menos activos here when we find them say yeah I am Mormon but I am super inactivo.  They say that as if that means that they don´t need to go to church anymore.  But turns out God has a different plan.  Once we are baptized, God does not forget that covenant and we always should be followers of Jesus Christ.  I have been thinking about a funny meme quote thing with a women that looks super stressed and it says "Why do they want dinner EVERY night?¨ (referring to her hijos.)  The calling of a mother never ends.  Mom will always be our mom.   Now that she has had us she will always be our mom and there are no pauses.  Heather talked a little about this with me.  She said it is kind of weird because it is the first thing where there are literally NO breaks.  Obviously Alden needs to eat EVERY day;).  There is never a day when I leave the apartment without a badge that says I am a missionary.   It does not matter if I am tired, if it is raining, or if it is Christmas; I am always, always a missionary (for this precious time that is).  But are we not soooooooo grateful that God NEVER takes a break!?  Are we not so grateful that we never have to worry that He is sleeping, or went on a trip for a while and we don´t have access to Him through prayers.  Because God never takes a break from us, we should never take a break from Him! We have this sweet mom that we are teaching.  She is a menos activo that would do anything for her sweet kids.  She claims that she can smoke at work and it won´t affect anything because her kids don´t watch.  Turns out her kids do know and it is changing them. She is still their mom even when she is at work.  I love that even though you guys are far away you are still my family!  It does not matter if it is Christmas or you guys are super tired you are always my family; stuck to me for good!  I love that this means that Lauren is stuck with us forever too!  God does not take half measures! Look at the scriptures: everyone who was ever in trouble and was trying to follow God was because they did not give it all.  (Mark:3,7,9, Lahonti) I love the quote by C.S. Lewis: look it up it is about giving it all.  God wants all of us.

(C.S. Lewis said, talking as if he was the Savior, “Give me all of you!!!  I don’t want so much of your time, . . . your talents and your money, and so much of your work.  I want YOU!!!  ALL OF YOU!!  I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT!  No half measures will do. . . . give me yourself and I will make of you a new self- - - in my image.  Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself.  My will shall become your will.  My heart shall become your heart”.)

My Spanish is getting better each day!  I love it so much!  I had divisiones this week and it was so fun! It was me and a Latina who had been in the field for two weeks.  That was intense.  We were so cool though!  We contacted like crazy and found a lot of menos activos! 

Paola and her family are doing so well!  Eduardo did not go to church this week because he did not want to pray in Sunday School.  I love him so much!  We told him he definitely did not have to pray if he did not feel comfortable in public.  He is going to come to church again.. hopefully!  Josefa is reading a ton better and I love reading with her!  Vania is as cute as she can be!  She made it four hours in her first fast.  I am so proud of her!  Juan Pablo and Richard are still pretty crazy but I love them! 

I am trying to think of what other exciting things. We had a party in our apartment this morning because it was the first day we wore pants in forever! (We went bowling today.)  There are mushrooms growing in my apartment!  And as you all know, I cut my hair!  (So, the story of the hair is that I really miss Lauren!  It is another addition to that "always" thing.  Things that God does not have breaks... ever.  Sadly, when God takes someone to heaven, that does not have breaks either...  This whole not ever having a break from not seeing her is getting really annoying.  I just really want a break from this whole not seeing her thing.  So, I thought I would celebrate her a little bit!  And, besides, I was hot ... so I cut it!!)

 

It was a good week!  I love you all!

Have a great week! Remember how very much I love you and that you are all in my prayers!

Love Hermana Webb