It is either true, or it is not.

Best wishes to Sister Paolantonio!!

After a year in Apoquindo, hellooooooo from La Reina!!

 .... I did have changes.  I am in La Reina.  It is the sector right next to my old one.  ;)  I am happy where I am.  My new companion is Hermana Zelaya from Guatemala.  She is ADORABLE!!  I knew her before and I am super excited to be her companion.  She is a recent convert.  She came on the mission after being a member for just a year!!  She is amazing!  She has beautiful stories and she loves to work and she hates getting places late, so this should be really fun!!

Being in another sector is exciting and really, really hard. I had to leave my home, Apoquindo. I am going to miss that place!!  I found out changes on Friday but I knew that I was going so I started saying good bye all week. It has not really hit me yet that I really am leaving.  The hardest part was definitely C_ and his family, Y_, and of course P_ and her family.  Wow! I am blessed! I don`t really know what to do now to be perfectly honest.  I now understand why people are afraid to go home.  It was hard to come here and figure out who I was as a missionary.  I knew who I was as a daughter a sister, a student, a girlfriend, a friend, a teacher, a Mormon, but I did not know who I was as a missionary.  But everything changed when I came here.  Now I don`t know how I will be all of those things when I go home.  I don`t know how to be any of those things in Utah. 

I know that sounds weird but there are some things that happen here that just make it so you are never ever the same. 

Here is my example of this week.  Ever since the beginning when I got here, E_ quietly listened, but does not really say anything.  At first I was afraid of him because I never knew what was going on in his head and when he did actually say something, he has such a deep voice, and talks so fast that I did not undersatnd it anyway. But then he slowly started progressing.  He started going to church every Sunday, he started reading the Book of Mormon, and he started asking more questions.  He has really changed!!  Slowly, E_ quietly started progressing more than the rest of his family. Things started to change!! Now E_ is spectacular!!!  I love that man so much and he has changed completely!! He got the priesthood this week and the bishop called in all of this family (which includes us obviously) and gave him a beautiful blessing.  He blessed E_, and blessed his family through E_.  It was really beautiful!!!  E_ had everything, except one thing.  He had never prayed with us.  Finally, last night I said to him: "E_, considering that you are a baptized member of the church, and you just received the priesthood, and it is only us here with you on my last day, will you please give the closing prayer?"  A big simile filled his face and he said, "Si!"  We all broke into a big YAY!!!!  Then he gave this beautiful prayer that I will never forget. It was short and simple but it was one of the most sincere prayers that I have ever heard!!  How am I supposed to be normal after that!?  I don`t know how to have a normal life and be a normal person!!  It is funny because I love baptisms, I love seeing people take big steps but there is something about getting someone to pray that has not prayed in a while. That changes everything!! 

We also did an AWESOME FHE the other night with Y_!!  She is adorable! I am going to really miss her too. We talked about how God helped King Lamoni change even though his family at the beginning did not want much to do with him.  It was a really beautiful FHE and I hope she keeps progressing.  She said she was going to go to church at the end of this month, because she does not have to work.  I hope she does.  She continues saying that she does not want to pray because she knows that if she prays God will tell her that this church is true and then she will have to change her life and she is afraid.  I don`t blame her ... it is a big step and I am glad that she feels it so strong. 

The rest of this week was saying good bye and the usual inviting people to church. I feel really good about this sector and I know my companion is going to watch it and take good care of it. I am going to miss all of the people there so much!! 

Just as Y_ is always saying if this is true, things have to change, I keep thinking and learning about how deep this all is.  It is either true or it is not.  Our family is either forever or it is not.  (I couldn't bear the hurtful doubt that I wouldn't see my sister again.)  The mission is either the most noble thing I have ever done or it is an embarrassment, and a waste of my time.  I learn more and more every day that this is a big message and a big commitment.  They are really big questions with really big answers.  I know deep down it is all true ... but I understand the thoughts of doubt and the fear of commitment people experience.  So, I keep studying.  I keep doing the work He asks me to do and I keep seeing the miracles. God is always ready to respond, and will answer my needs.  I think the key is to keep searching in faith for truth.   Mom always says that we are how she continues to feel the love of God and find answers to her heartaches and prayers even when it does not seem like we did anything.  But now I understand.  God often answers our prayers through another (as the prophet has told us.)  God is real through you guys!  God is real through the people in Apoquindo.  I don`t understand how it all works but it makes me feel sure!  I know God lives because of the way I feel about you people, and the people in Apoquindo ... It is just so real and so beautiful that I know it had to come from something (Someone) much greater.  And, that loving God has promised that I get to be with you guys FOREVER!!!  So, I keep moving forward because I really like loving and being loved ... FOREVER!!  I love you all alot!!!  I testify of our Savior, the source of all love ... and he is real, because I feel his love!! 

Hermana Webb

Mision Chile Santiago Este
Cristobal Colon 6824
Las Condes
Santiago, Region Metropolitana
Chile
51