World's Greatest Familia

First things first, I'm grateful that our Katie girl is still safe and sound. Some of her old investigators or members or someone that added me on Facebook from Ukraine keeps updating things all about Ukraine but only in Ukrainian so I could see pictures but never any words to know what was actually happening. You can bet I've been praying extra hard for your safety this week. 

Also, I was struck with the plague this week, but I'm recovered now. It was awful and probably would have gone away much faster if I hadn't have been all over creation on my bike the last week. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven, right? RIGHT!

Despite the hectic week we had of exchanges, illness, and car fasts, we accomplished SO much. It was incredible. It's been a week of miracles in Reedy Creek! This area is taking off and wonderful things are happening here. We have truly been blessed by our Father in Heaven with wonderful people to teach. WE had 3 investigators at church yesterday who are all preparing for baptism in the coming weeks and months. We were stuck in a dry spell the last few months but we've been praying hard to increase in our faith and expressing so much gratitude in every moment of the day, and we are being blessed tremendously.

Let me tell you how we met one of our investigators. We were meeting a recent convert, at Bojangles for a lesson and we sat down at a table with him and this guy was across the restaurant starting at us so i looked at him and said hi. He asked if we were having bible study. I said yes and he asked if he could join before we even had time to invite him. Our new convert pretty much taught him the entire lesson and our investigator agreed to read the Book of Mormon and to come to church. And just like that, the man was at church yesterday. It made me think of a part in preach my gospel in chapter nine when it says, "You are to find them that will receive you. Such people will recognize that you are the Lord's servants. They will be willing to act on your message. That's him - so ready and willing to act on our message. We met with him after church yesterday and taught him more about the Restoration and the comments he was making were incredibly insightful. I was amazed. 

What is in my heart? Complete peace. I've reached a point in my mission where I have confidence in The Lord that I didn't have before I began this journey. I seize every opportunity I can to open my mouth and share the gospel with people everywhere, all the time. I can go to bed happy when I know I've done everything in my power to be successful that day. Yes, challenges still arise and there are days that are filled with homesickness and exhaustion. But they never last long because I have faith in my Savior and I know He is aware of me and happy with me if I'm giving it my all. 

I'm happy in Reedy Creek. I'm learning and growing here and seeking guidance from The Lord on the things that need to happen in this area. In the beginning I didn't think I'd have the ability to love an area or a time on my mission as much as I loved Pineville, but the Lord increases our capacity to love as we go throughout our lives. That's something I've learned without a doubt. 

I'm so grateful for the restored gospel!! I know that it is true! I know we have a prophet of God on the earth today. What a blessing it is. 

I love being a missionary. :) 

I love y'all so much! Have a great week. You're in my prayers always. 

Love, 

Sister Mad Webber

Chiquitas in Carolina

My heart is so full of happiness and joy for all the wonderful events
of this weekend!! What a happy time for everyone to be together! Can't
wait to hear ALL the details one day. Congratulations again, Grandma
and Grandpa! I'm so happy for y'all!!

It's been a week of highs and lows on all fronts, weather included:)
We're teaching a few really great people right now. E, is
preparing for baptism on February 15th  (Happy birthday to Quincy
Larue poo) what better day to have a baptism. Pray for her:) We had
our first sacrament meeting a few days ago with the newly aligned
ward. The bishopric spoke and the stake president did as well. It was
an incredible meeting. I have a really great feeling about all these
changes. It's going to be so good. I was so fired up and excited after
sacrament meeting. We didn't have sunday school or relief society
because the ward is pretty much starting from scratch but we had a
nice potluck. Chicken wings included. I felt like i was right back in
Noni's house on Christmas Day.

We had a couple really good exchanges this week. I got to be with one
of the best, Sister Reid. She's a tender mercy for me. I love her. I
went up to an area called Welcome on exchange last week too. It's near
High Point. We taught like crazy and rode our bikes literally a
million miles. I am a champ at the bicycle. Don't mess with me. Then Saturday 
 I got picked up, drove right back to Charlotte, and we
were on our bikes all day Saturday as well. Holy moly.  Sore. But all 
for a good cause. :)

Yesterday was the famous MLKJD. President Craven switched it to a
proselyting day because it's more effective when everyone is home all
day. We taught some great people.
Story: Kate, read this. There's this young man that had been taught by
sisters in another area and they gave him to us when the boundaries
changed. We had a set appointment with him so we went to the address
we were given and this cute little old lady answered the door  and
just stared at us with a smile on her face. We asked if our investigator was home
and in the thickest accent she said, He is with company. And she closed
the door behind her and joined us on the front porch. Her cat had
escaped so we were all surrounding the car where it was hiding. A
young man in his twenties came outside to get the cat. He started
speaking to is gramma in a different language and immediately my heart
started beating fast and I thought, they're UKRAINIAN!! I felt an
immediate eternal connection to these people and got the tiniest
glimpse of the love Katie has for the Ukrainian people. My heart was
literally going to explode, all while these two American missionaries
and two Ukrainians are chasing this cat around a car.
Turns out he is in his mid twenties, his gramma is straight from Ukraine
and hardly speaks any English. He translated pretty well. She knew
about polygamy, The Book of Mormon, and missionaries. He was
interested in the Book of Mormon and so was she. We picked a Ukrainian
copy up for her last night from the office and I can't wait to take it
to her.
Kate. Ask your mission president if you have permission to teach
someone in Ukrainian in America over Skype. Let's make it happen.
#sistercompanions #yoso

I love y'all. Your constantly in my prayers. I'm so grateful to be in
a family that loves missionary work. Never stop! "how great shall be
your joy with him" there isn't a greater feeling in the world. The
gospel is true. God lives. Jesus is the Christ.
Have a great week! Sure love y'all!
Love, Sister Mad

Also. Funny story, on exchange in welcome, a member took us to a mex
restaurant. The elders were there and we were talking about free fried
ice cream from Los Hermanos on your bday and this restaurant had fried
ice cream...the member got up "to go to the bathroom" a few minutes
later the whole place came out and sang clapping hands with a sombrero
that they put on my head. Only on exchange. Birthdays everyday!

Monday FUNDAY

Happy Monday! I love y'all so much. It was fun to see you in those videos!
We had a good week here. Aside from the fact that it was negative six
with the wind chill on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was killer but we
survived. 
We taught some really good people and one of our eternal 
investigators came to church yesterday which was really exciting. He's
one of the most stubborn people I've ever met. I pulled my naggy
teasing side out on him and was pretty straight up with him. His thing
is to say "don't give up on me" but he doesn't do much to progress.
But who knows what will happen with him. We can't force him, he'll
have to come around to it himself. He knows it's all true, just
stubborn.
Our ward boundaries changed yesterday! Harrah! It's exciting.
Everything's going to change which will be really good for the work
here.
I'm reading in the Book of Mormon right now and taking it really slow.
I am learning more than I've ever learned before. It's incredible.
Also here's a really good quote from a Mormon message by Elder
Holland. "Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t
come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus
Christ, they come." Go watch the video. It's the best. It's called
Good Things to Come.
I don't have much to say this week, I'm sorry. But I love y'all a
whole lot. Best of luck with school, work, and life! Y'all are in my
prayers constantly. I love you!
Love,
Sister Mad

Carolina Cold

This week was a great week in Charlotte. We taught more people this
week than any other week since I moved to Reedy Creek. It was
wonderful. On New Year's Eve we were completely out of miles so we
were on our bikes all day. I've been converted. This is the best way.
We met and taught more people going to and from appointments than we
did with our actual appointments. It was a fun day. We were all over
the place. The soreness was worth it:)

Sunday during sacrament meeting, a grand announcement was made that
out of our ward and two neighboring wards, a new ward was being
created and that all the boundaries were going to change. There's been
a speculation outbreak since then. The missionaries, the ward members,
everyone. They've all been losing it since. I prayed and fasted real
hard yesterday to know what Reedy Creek needs. This was a definite
answer to prayers. I think it'll give this ward a good restart and
give members the extra boost they need. We'll know next Sunday what's
happening. 

We had a two day Mission Leadership Council this last weekend. It was
incredible. I sometimes wish I could record our meetings and send them
all home to you. They are so great. After MLC Friday evening, we
were waiting around in the office for some sisters and I was sitting
there and things with me weren't right. All day I felt like I should
ask President Craven if I could talk with him, but every time the
thought came, I couldn't think of anything I really needed to talk to
him about. While I sat there in the office I thought of Elder
Andersen's last conference address and immediately the Spirit
whispered, "call upon the priesthood" A few minutes later, President
walked in the room and I asked if I could meet with him for a minute.
We went into his office and I asked him for a blessing. He smiled at
me and said, that requires a follow up question Sister Webber, what is
in your heart? My weary heart let out all it's been holding in which
led to very wise counsel and advice from President Craven. He gave me
a blessing, and it was a very neat experience. I know the power of the
priesthood is found in this church. And just like Elder Andersen
testified, "as you worthily participate in the ordinances of the
priesthood, the Lord will give you greater strength, peace, and
eternal perspective." How true that is. I'm so grateful for the
priesthood.

I'm so grateful to be apart of this family. Each of you are so
wonderful and I wouldn't be where I am today or who I am without your
influence and example in my life.
The gospel is true. God lives. Jesus is the Christ.
I love y'all. Have a great week!
Love, Sister Mad Webber