I'm leaving on a jet plane......

Hello family!! 

I get to email early this week because we leave on Monday! I hope you all are doing well! You sound good from the dear elders and notes I got this week! Everything had been great here.
First, I just want to say thank you a million times for all the packages. Mom, thank you for all the good stuff in your package;) it was exactly what I needed. 

LAURA. Thank you so so much. You make dreams come true. Seriously. Last night at dinner I was thinking, I could really use some Cafe right about now and later that night. Bam. Chips and queso waiting for me. I was so so happy and so excited. It was so good and all of the Sisters in my room were so happy. So thank you. I love you! (p.s. are you related to..I think his name was Aaron Collette? He's a trainer for the orientation we had yesterday) 

Thank you to the Miller family as well!! You are so sweet to think of me! Thank you so much for all the treats and notes. It made my day. You are all so wonderful and I miss you so much! 

Dal, Ange, and Emril. Thank you for the cupcakes. You three are my favorite dreamers. Keep up all the hard work. You are my top dudes. Also Dal, thank you for the letter. That made my day. Seriously. 

J, thank you TOO for the cupcakes. Seriously. The Elders were drooling over them. You're the best. I LOVE YOU. 

Quincy and Harrison, I love you. Good luck with school this week. I hope everything is going well. 

DAD! Good luck on your talk! You'll do great. You always do. I loved what you sent me. Just remember, don't cry:) 

This week was great! We got yet another chance to go to the TRC with our same investigator. She's become our best friend. We had time to sit and talk to her about a bunch of different things. One of the teachers that is over our entire zone said something about how we were part of the last "3 week program" for a reason and that there was a specific reason why we weren't part of the two weekers. I honestly think it's because of this TRC opportunity we've had. This lady changed my outlook on missionary work and gave me a boost in confidence. I'm so grateful for everything we learned being with her. She's a life changer. I'll have to send you the picture we took with her.
Funny story...you know the district videos we were requested to watch before we came to the MTC? Well 80% of the missionaries in those videos work at the MTC and they are like mission celebrities. Since we've been teacher-less all week we've had subs everyday and four of those missionaries have been our subs. Everyone in our zone gets so jealous because they really are famous around here. We watch video clips of them everyday for different lessons we have and it is so funny when people walk in and see them. It's really like celeb status.
Anyway, they've really focused this week on everything we need to know about going into the field. We had a 9 hour "in-field orientation" yesterday that was surprisingly enjoyable. A lot of the things we talked about made me really excited to get out and teach real investigators and working with members. 

I'm a little nervous for the next few days but I know they are going to be great and it is going to be such a learning experience. I'm so grateful for the love and support. I can't say thank you enough for the outpouring of love I've felt since I've been here. Thank you for all the packages, letters, dear elders, and classroom visits. I know this is the Lord's work and it is hastening. They referred to us this week as a tsunami of missionaries who are about to flood the earth. It is such an exciting time to be a missionary. I know this gospel is true. I know that Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. I know that we can find strength in the Lord and rely on Him for anything. I know that our prayers our heard and that He is so aware of us. I'm so thankful I get to be a missionary.

I love you all so very much. Keep in touch.

Love you to the moon and back. See you soon.

Love, 

Sister Webber

T-5 days and counting

Hello family!

It sounds like everyone is doing well! I hope you all have had a good week. Time is flying here and we leave in five short days. Monday is going to be here before I can even think twice about it! First, thank you for that package mom. You are one inspired mother. I got sick on Wednesday night and that medicine got here on Friday. You knew without me even telling you. So thank you for that. I couldn't have survived this week without it! Also, if you could tell our sweet friend Elaine that she is in my prayers. Also, I was so sad when I found out that she was speaking at devotional. Wish I could have been there. I heard it was wonderful:)

This week was a crazy one! We are now considered "week three" missionaries which is crazy to think about. Last Tuesday night was the last devotional with the mission president, President Brown (the new president is President Nally from Highland-don't know if you know them), and Elder Holland came! None of the missionaries knew he was coming so it was quite a wonderful surprise. When he walked in an immediate difference was felt in the room. It was such a great devotional. He is one powerful speaker and sure knows how to pound that pulpit. He talked a lot about how we need to speak boldly as missionaries and also said that we all must have done something extra in the line up in heaven to get to be missionaries at this very moment. It was great.

Wednesday my companion and I had our round two in the TRC with our same investigator, Lawanna. It was rough and she could tell that I was getting frustrated but trying not to show it. She "broke character" towards the end and spent the last thirty minutes teaching us. It was the most humbling and best learning experience I think I've had since I've been here. I was crying like it was my day job. So was my companion. It was a good thing though, we needed it and they told us that it was going to be our last time teaching those investigators so we ended on a good note, thankfully.

Thursday we got our travel plans! We have to report to the travel office at 3:30 in the morning on Monday but I'm still so excited. I bought a calling card today so I'll probably end up calling while we're at the Salt Lake airport because our layover in Detroit isn't really long. So just plan on Monday morning.

I have two different teachers everyday and one came to dinner with us a few days ago and we got talking and he's from South Carolina and knows our besties the Browns! Kirk Lester is his name and he said he knew Rhen and Kori and Acacia! I got so excited about it! Speaking of Brother Lester, on Saturday he came in and told us that he wasn't going to be our teacher for the rest of the time we're here because his dad passed away this weekend and he would be going home. We're really sad he's gone and they haven't gotten a replacement yet. So yesterday during the time when he was supposed to teach us, we joined with another district and got taught by none other than The Colony's own Cade Dopp. I was so excited about it. The Elders in my district keep asking how I know everyone here because I know 80% of the teachers we see and 50% of the missionaries here are from Lone Peak or BYU wards. But it's nice to see familiar faces everywhere.

Sundays are wonderful around here. Sister Wixom, the general Primary President spoke to us in Relief Society. We sang primary songs throughout her talk and I loved it. I can testify of the power of music. Few things bring the Spirit into a room like hymns and primary songs. I was a blubbering baby every time we sang. It was wonderful and the Spirit was so strong. During Sacrament meeting on Sunday while the Sacrament was being passed, the branch next door to us was in the middle of their special musical number...an Elder singing Savior Redeemer of My Soul. Our family theme song with the arrangement we always listen to on Sundays. It brought me right back to home. Such a tender mercy. I love how much GOOD music is heard here.

Yesterday we had a surprise from the TRC telling us that we were going to meet with our investiagators again. We had about a ten minute warning before we were supposed to go and meet with Lawanna again and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. But we prayed about it and decided that we should just talk to her "out of character" and learn about her conversion story with her missionaries. This lady is such an amazing person. Again, I was in tears (shocker..I know) as she bore testimony of the power we have as missionaries. She kept telling me to "just love the people, and the Spirit will take care of the rest. Be patient with them and take baby steps. And love them with everything that you have." She kept telling me that there was someone in North Carolina waiting just for "Sister Webber" and that I was going to change someones life. It was the definite boost that I needed after a long, hard week with all of our investigators. I will be forever grateful for her and all that she taught us.

To my Colony kids, THANK YOU for the care package of goodies and letters and for Trev's homemade cookies. I was a giddy child when I came into my classroom and found it. And thank you Philip for being the post man. You're the best.

Aaron-thanks for visiting me. Bring Carls next time, okay? ;)

Quince-CONGRATS on passing your road test. I can't wait for you to be a pro driver when I get back.

Harrison-I'm glad you're feeling better. and kick butt in the play. Break a leg, but not for real;)

J-thank you for writing me:) you're the best. A letter is coming for you to the house.

Kawetia- I miss you more everyday. We better tell the news stations to be in the SLC airport July 2014 to see this reunion. No one's gonna want to miss it:) I love you girl. Keep it up.

This cafeteria food is aaaaallll tasting the same these days. So I've been missing my Cafe Rio lately. Mom all I've been craving is DC and man hugs. The Elders think it's hilarious that we can't hug them so they always hug each other and say, "you wish this was you." YEAH. I DO. But my time will come for my huggy side to come out again:)

Well my time is almost up. But I LOVE ALL OF YOU. I hope you are all doing well. You are all in my prayers. Thank you so much for the love and support you give to me. I couldn't do it without you all. This gospel is true. This IS the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that our Father in Heaven hears our prayers and is aware of our needs. I know we are children of God. He LOVES us. He loves us so much. I'm glad I'm a missionary. The Lord's work is hastening and I'm so lucky to be a part of it at this time.

Love you all to the moon and BACK.

Love always,

Sister Webber

I'm Alive!

Hola mi familia,

I'm picking up on languages real quick here. First of all, I love you all. Anyone reading this, I love you. Thank you for all the love and support. I honestly couldn't be doing this if I didn't have so many great people in my life.

After the mighty drop off, I felt like a punching bag all day. People were pointing us and pushing us in every direction and from my the look on my face alone they could tell I was a newbie. I didn't need the little orange dot on my nametag to confirm it. When they were taking us and our luggage to our residence building, some Elders came over and grabbed my bags and one of the Sisters helping us said, these Elders are going to Sweden! And I gasped and said, I know your teacher! And they both looked surprised at each other and said, are you Sister Webber!? I said yes and they said, Brother Bush told us to look for you today!! So thank you Aaron. I felt loved five minutes after stepping foot into the MTC.  Anyway, the first day was good. Very overwhelming and a lot to take in but it was great. By about 7pm I was thinking, "so when are we gonna get to see a bed." I was dying. We taught investigators the first night in big groups and it was very interesting and eye opening. We got with a lady that was so fiesty and I was thinking, "heck no would I teach her just as a companionship." There were like forty people in the room trying to teach one investigator. It went about as well as  you can imagine it would.

They have us role play here like it's going out of style. I think everyone knows how much I hated role playing before I left. I definitely got used to it the first ten minutes I was here. Thanks for all the practice Trev:) You know best. haha.

The first night I slept like a rock. I was exhausted so that helped. Thursday and Friday were great. I learned more in those first three days then I ever could have imagined. It was incredible. Extremely overwhelming, but incredible. We taught our first investigator on Friday and my companion and I were so nervous. Prayer is a real thing. I can testify of that. We couldn't have done it alone. It went well and we survived. Saturday we had more class time and more studying. All week, every time I would run into someone I knew that had been here for a while would just say, "If you can just make it to Sunday, you'll be fine" On Thursday I was thinking, that is years away. But Sunday came and it was wonderful. It was definitely a day of rest. Our branch president is wonderful and we have a great zone/branch so sacrament meeting was wonderful. It was the last Sunday with the current MTC President so in Relief Society they had a testimony. It was one of the greatest testimony meetings I've ever been in. There were so many great Sisters bearing such strong testimonies of how important this work is that we're doing. Every time there is a speaker here they say something about how there is such a unique Spirit with this new group of missionaries. Speaking of which, there is NOT enough room for all the missionaries that are about to flood this place. They told us that by the end of the month there will be 800 new sister missionaries and by the end of February the amount of Sisters will outnumber the amount of Elders in the MTC which is insane. There is a literal army about to scatter the earth with the gospel. It is such a blessing to be apart of this wonderful group of missionaries. There are 28 missionaries that I know of right now that are going to the Charlotte, North Carolina misison the same day as us. TWENTY EIGHT. All leaving on the 28th of January. The people of Charlotte aren't going to know what hit them. Niether are any of the nonmembers that will be on the flight with us. No one will get off that plane without a Book of Mormon in their hand. It seriously is incredible.

My district is wonderful! There are 4 Sisters and 8 Elders. One of the Sisters in my district is the youngest Sister at the MTC and was asked to speak at some meeting or fireside with the misison board. (no pressure) haha.

I've seen a million people that I know. Obviously I've seen Phil a few times, you've seen the pictures and Alex Giles has pretty much the same schedule as me so I see him at every meal. A girl from the Colony that I visit taught and that was actually Chy's roommate is in my zone. She's going to Canda and leaves the same day as us. Also, one of my best Colony friends, Sister Becky Cox has class on the floor right above mine so I get to see her at least once a day and it's always right when I need it. Tender mercy of the Lord. So glad she's so close.

We started teaching investigators in the TRC yesterday which is a big deal around here I guess and so my companion and I were kind of getting nervous and they brought our sheets around to tell us the name of our investigators, lookout, same fiesty lady that our group taught the first night. You can imagine how happy I was about that. We had a good lesson plan prepared and we felt prepared even if we did get off from what we had planned. It didn't go anything like we planned. Honestly, if it had been a real investigator at a real house, I would have gracefully and respectfully left. We bore testimony like I have never heard myself or my companion bear testimony. I was saying things that after I was thinking, that was the Spirit talking because I don't know where I pulled that from. Honestly it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. The lady showed no mercy on us. She knew that we had scheduled time that we were supposed to leave so she did all she could to force us to stay. We were in the room with her for 50 minutes when it was supposed to honestly only be around 35. Anyway, we meet with her again tomorrow so that'll be so much fun:)

Funny story, last night I was having a hard time falling asleep and about a half hour after I did, the fire alarm went off. None of the Sisters in my room were waking up to it so I was thinking I would just wait until it turned off and I would go back to sleep until a mass amount of screams were coming from the hallway. All I remember was someone saying, "They said this isn't a drill! Everyone needs to get out." It was around 1am and so we all rolled out of bed and walked out into the freezing cold and walked over to the gym. They pulled out the 50 yoga mats they had and the Sisters all went wild. They said it would be another 45 minutes before they would know what was going on and that we would have to sleep in the gym until they figured it out. There were 10 of us sharing three yoga mats and trying to sleep. It was NOT working out and I was so exhausted. Turns out it was so cold last night that a big pipe burst in our building and was gushing water out into the basement. Thank heavens I live on the fourth floor. It seriously was the worst though. So I'm feeling a little tired today but nothing I haven't felt before. :)

Another funny thing about the MTC, four-square is serious business here. These missionaries do not mess around. It's more the Elders but on the first day of gym I wanted to play so me and one other Sister got in line, boom. Made it to the King's spot the first round I was in. What's up.

Well, I am learning lots about the gospel and lots about myself every minute I'm here. I know the power of prayer is SO real. If I get frustrated for even one second or have one negative thought, I lose the Spirit and you cannot be successful here without the Spirit which makes praying for the Spirit crucial. I know this gospel is true. I wouldn't be here if I didn't know that with my whole heart. I know that we are children God and I know that He loves each one of us so much. He knows us so individually and personally and knows what is best for us. I love this gospel. I love my Father in Heaven and I love you all so very much.

Thank you for everything mom and dad. You are the best. Thank you for the packages and dear elders. Tell Harrison I'm sad I didn't hear from him this week. Also Janae, what the heck. :)

Kate, I miss you like crazy! Wish we could be here at the same time! I don't know how you handled community showers for 9 straight weeks. I'd die. Same with the cafeteria food. Sorry I didn't send Cafe Rio earlier:) haha

Thank you for all the dear elders!! keep them coming because they honestly MAKE MY DAY!

I LOVE YOU ALL!! Thank you for everything. Miss you all so much!! But I will see you in no time:)

Do what this says for me, okay? Since I can't? Thanks;) haha

1 Peter 5: 14

Love you!!

Love,

Sister Webber