Hermana Webb and Hermana Paolantonio
(Gracias Paola Flores for the photo!)
(Only Carlie can make us laugh hysterically and cry in tenderness in the same e-mail!)
carlie.webb@myldsmail.net
May 12, 2014
How are you all doing!? I am doing so great! This is fun becuase this email is going to go to all parts of the world. We are so cool! ;)
This week was absolutely wonderful! B__ progressed a lot!! We went to their house on Wednesday just to talk to A__. She has been going to more of the charlas recently so we thought we would find out what she was thinking. One of the rumors we had heard was that her parents were obligating her to listen to us and we found out that that was not true. She likes listening to us and she has seen a change in her family and so she is interested to find out more. That made us very happy! We want this whole family to participate in this gospel. And, the ward has been open to them. Good job Apoquindo ward for welcoming this family! Anyway we finally had the chance to know what she was thinking and she is happy! I love what this gospel does. I asked her if she has seen a change in her family since we started coming and her eyes got really wide and she just nodded her head! What a great gospel this is! It really does work. The scriptures say that we will know by the fruits, and our church really does have amazing fruits!
We are working really hard and it seems that time just flies by without us even noticing it. We had a cool miracle this week with a family from Colombia. There is a family that WAS menos activo but now they are awesome and gave us the reference of their maistro (contractor) who was making their apartment bigger. His name is M__. We have been teaching him for a couple of weeks but he does not progress a ton. Anyway one day a lady on the bus contacted the other sisters in our sector and asked THEM to visit HER! That never happens! Lucklily enough it was our sector. So we went to their house and found a slightly crazy but very interested lady. She has three kids, and lives with a Chilean. (Hence the person from Colombia in Chile.) We were teaching her and who walks out of the back room? M__! What!? This women was his daughter. So now M__ is progressing more and is more willing to listen to us. God is good! It is just in time too, because M__ was recently diagnosed with cancer. I am not saying that knowledge of this gospel will make that more easy for him but it will at least make it a little more bearable. He is a good guy. I was really bummed to hear that he has cancer. That was the bummer part of the week. Hopefully the gospel will bring in a little light. It looks like the cancer is not growing, so that is a blessing.
We had a lot of people in the capilla this week which was fun. B__ and G__ went like they always do, but R__ finally went. I am so worried for that kid. His parents are so lame! His dad never sees him and when he does it is always on a Sunday DURING church and his mom just sleeps all of the time! That family just sleeps. I don´t know how they do it so much. Anyway, I really love that kid and it was nice because I think this week he finally saw it. I always bug him at the end of lessons and say 'what are the two things you have to remember?' and he always rolls his eyes and says que ustedes me aman y Dios también. (That I love him and God does too.) And I always say "very good!" I think he is starting to realize that I am not just saying that! Also this kid C__ (Menos activo) went to church. He always goes once a week to pay his tithing, (he still has a testimony of that) and he refuses to tell us a time when we can visit him. But this time he not only gave us a time to visit but he also was a little excited to see us! I don´t now what happened, but I am excited to find out.
You guys are all so funny all of you talked about how sorry you were that we did not talk yesterday. I knew that part was coming. It was totally fine. My comp talked in P__'s house so I planned to have P__ as a companion and entertain myself with them while my comp talked to her family. It was great! We had a very fun Mother´s Day. I LOVE that family!! P__ showed me the video of me opening my call that mom put on Facebook and I just cried and cried. (The video of Carlie opening her call is the first post on this blog.) I was so excited to come here ... I was ready for an adventure but I had no idea that I would end up in P_'s house! I think I would have peed my pants if I would have known. (only Carlie.) The only awkward part was waiting for my companion to talk and having P__´s nephew try to hold my hand and kiss my head!! I hate men!! Why do they all stink and what do they not understand about MISSIONARY? ... we are like nuns! We are not allowed to touch men .... I don´t know why he did not get that part. Oh well, what are you going to do!? I am sure I looked hilarious. He caught me off guard and put his arm around me and started kissing my head ... That had to change fast. EWWWW!! (Only Carlie.)
Other funny story of the week ... just because you are all in Spain and you are thinking about Christopher Columbus. Here, his name is Cristobal Colon. I did not know that that was his name but there is a super big street here that we always use with that name. (It's in the address we send snail mail too.) I never had made the connection before after like 7 months here. Anyway, one day I was in the metro station of Cristobal Colon and I was reading this thing about this explorer who went to the Americas. (I still had not made the connection) Then I read about his three boats. (You all have to remember that I was reading in Spanish so in my head I read the names of the boats in my spanish accent;)) When I read the Ñinña the Pinta and the Santa Maria, I got all excited and thought: 'Wow!! He used boats really similar to Christopher Columbus.' Then like 30 seconds later I got it..... Wow! Classic Carlie.... You would think my intelligence would have grown in this time... ;) It was pretty funny when I realized!! You guys can think about that while you are learning about Cristobal Colon or Christopher Columbus ....they are the same person;)!
(Grave of Christopher Columbus/ aka Cristobal Colon in Seville, Spain)
Yes, we took the photo for Carlie... Now that she knows who he is in English AND Spanish :-)
My study for this week was in Moroni 7:
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.
So, you all know that I am an anxious person ... (surprise, surprise.) I had a few moments this week when anxiousness seemed to take over and make me miss out on all of these wonderful people. I found myself more anxious than usual and really, really troubled over this weakness of mine. I was really frustrated and tired. I thought again about what Mom said about 'running to the tomb to find it "as he said" it would be' ... without really realizing I was doing it, I went to my knees and did as this scripture said and praying with all of my heart and finding myself filled with His love. All of the things that seemed so disproportionately important went away, leaving behind only the essentials. What I needed to have removed from me left a lot of room for His love and allowed me a calm heart without anxiety ... to love the people. I love that He took this weakness with anxiety of mine and helped me to find strength instead. He filled me with His love just as He said He would!! I didn't realize I was running back to the empty tomb until He completed it with His promise. He is a perfect creator and He continues to mold and shape me and I love being in His sure hands.
I love you all so much! Thanks for everything!!! Have a great week in all of the parts of the world where you are! Mom!! Happy Mothers Day!!! I love you!
Hermana Webb
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