Annie’s Letter
Hello dearest family of mine! I hope you are all having an incredible week! I we have had a crazy one! You know the stuff that happened the first half of the week because I just sent you an email...so let me tell you about the last half!
We have a goal of 500 baptisms as a mission for the year 2012. We are only 63 shy of that goal with 5 weeks to go! It's totally possible! 63!
exciting! That's all we need! What an incredible goal! I have such faith in the mission, I know we can accomplish this goal! We are working very hard in Marysville to be able to help accomplish that goal! Brooklyn is on date for December 15 and we are hoping for one or two more additional baptisms in December! Sometimes agency is hard. It is such a wonderful gift that our Heavenly Father has given us, and I am so thankful for it. I am grateful for the opportunity I have each day to choose for myself. I am grateful that each of the wonderful people I am teaching has that incredible opportunity too. However, sometimes I wish they would Choose to exercise their agency differently! I don't want to take it away from them... that's Satan's plan. I just want to... help them make the right choice. Man, that's exactly what we do as missionaries! It's still really sad when they make the wrong choice. Thank goodness that we always have another chance. What a testament of how much our Heavenly Father loves us! He always always always gives us another chance! How lucky we are! I am so grateful for the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. One of our investigators, Flo, died. We were so sad to hear that. We hadn't seen her for a couple of weeks because we were a little sick and she had cancer so we didn't want to get her sick. She was a breast cancer survivor of 2 years and her husband passed away last year. Her faith was always so incredible, we were astounded by her amazing attitude and such strong faith. When she told us her cancer had come back we were so sad but she wasn't. She knew God had a plan for her and she would be okay, one way or another. The last time we saw her, which ended up being about a week-ish before she died we were walking away from her apartment and were talking about how we weren't sure if she would accept the gospel in this life but that we knew she would in the next. Funny how the spirit works sometimes. We are excited for her to be learning with an increased understanding now! What a wonderful life! We found a new investigator this week, Carol. The elders were actually teaching her and her husband (but mostly her husband) about 2 years ago. Her husband has a cousin who is a member! Well, Charlie had a baptismal date for November 2010. But then they lost contact. Come to find out, Charlie got really sick (he also had cancer) and he passed away in December 2010. We went to check up on them and met Carol. We went back on Saturday with Sister Lundstrom who is SO amazing! She has an incredible story and such amazing faith! She brought so much to the lesson! Carol (and all of us) really felt the spirit. She accepted a soft baptismal date and...man, this lesson was so incredible. The spirit truly was the teacher. We talked about points of the Restoration (she had some questions) and about some parts of the Plan of Salvation. It was just... man. Members.They really do make such a huge difference. I am so grateful to be here and to have met all the incredible people. Members and non members alike. I never understood really how vital members are. I think that is a huge thing I have learned on my mission so far. I am excited to continue to work with the members here in Ohio so that I can assist them in sharing the gospel. That's really how it should be right? We are only the little helpers. They are the ones who really do the work. And someday, I'm excited to be a member missionary and do everything I can to assist the missionaries. To guide them to people to teach, to be willing to do whatever they need done to keep the work progressing no matter where I'm at! It's a wonderful life! It truly is a wonderful life! Sister Twitchell finished her training yesterday, it's kind of sad! I have loved being a trainer and I have learned so much from her. She is an incredible missionary. I am so blessed to have been able to serve with her. Transfer calls should be coming soon... I hope I get to continue serving with her in Marysville, but I know that transfers are inspired so I will go where the Lord wants me to go and serve where he wants me to serve!
So...back porch huh? That's funny. We NEVER use the back door. Somtimes when it was warmer in the morning....like in July or August we would go outside and play football or something in the back but yeah...we don't use that door. So that's super funny. I'm excited to go check! haha. I'll let you know via Sister Ellington. And I'll let you know about transfers. And the doctor. I'll go see her again in 45 minutes and get some direction and ask a few more questions. It'll be great. I still feel pretty much the same, except determined to stay! I don't want to leave my mission even for a few months! I only have 10 left anyway! I can't lose any of them! It's crazy that it's already Thanksgiving. Time just flies so fast! And there is NO snow here. I can't believe I'm going to have my second Thanksgiving in a row with no snow. But at least people here will eat inside. Unlike the crazy Arizonian's (and Vegas people...Sister Twitchell! haha) I hope you guys have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Tell everyone hello and send my love. We are excited to decorate for Christmas! We even have a Christmas tree in our apartment! yay! Oils... I'm all for it mom! I really want some lemon oil because if you put apple cider vinegar in water with some stevia and lemon oil...it's really good! As it is... apple cider vinegar by itself is pretty nasty. Try some! Apple cider vinegar with the mother (Bragg's brand) but don't take more than a table spoon because you're not used to it. So today I'll buy some Stevia and a glass water bottle (because apparently the vinegar will eat at the plastic or plastic water bottles and then I'll be ingesting plastic and that doesn't sound like any fun at all! So yeah... that'll happen today. Just FYI. Thanks so much for all you guys do for me. I love you all so much! Thanks for your incredible examples! Mom, I hope the Wilson stuff goes well! Natalie, use my sewing maching. It's just sitting there. It might as well get some use. Dad, I was looking at the stars last night and it was so cool! There was one that was really bright that I'm pretty sure was a planet. Venus maybe? Isn't that one you can see at this time of year? Megan and Justin, I hope all is going well for you! Justin...Christmas is a great time to send your favorite sister in law a letter! Rachel-good luck at interschool. I'm sure you're going to do great! and have SO much fun! How did the all state auditions go? Let me know! :-) Landon, thank you for your incredible example. You are just an incredible missionary and I look up to you so much. Everyone in the OCM knows about Elder Webb serving in Canada because crazy Sister Webb talks about him all the time! I love getting your letters. You are such a wonderful example! Keep up the good work. Keep having your amazing attitute!
I love you all so much! Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving! There is a missionary in Ohio who prays for all of you every day! I'm just so blessed to have been put in this family. I can't thank my Heavenly Father enough for sending me to you. I must have done something really really right in the pre mortal existance! :-) Have a wonderful day guys! You're the best! Talk to you soon!
Annie
Landon’s Letter
Hello family :)
This week has been another week. I don't know what else to say. But let me tell you this. Heavenly Father loves us all. Each and everyone of his children. He provides for us and he will never let anything become too difficult for us to over come. I have seen this throughout this week.
First off I am grateful for this opportunity to be serving the Lord and am very grateful for all of my many little blessings. I have seen many instances where just serving others brings happiness into their lives. Especially when serving and the gospel are combined. This week we stopped by a less-active member who doesn't have the greatest eye sight at all. She has very poor health and is in bad condition. She absolutely loves to read from the scriptures but for the past little while she has not been able to read from the scriptures very well. It strains her eyes to read one word but she tried everyday because she new even that one word would help her to pretty much survive. We dropped by and gave her a large print Book of Mormon and she couldn't believe that there was a book that was so beautiful. We told her that it was for her and she took the book, held it close to her as if she would never let go, and started crying because she could not only see but also read the words. That hit me like a brick wall. I have taken for granite that I have eyes that work very well. The other thing that hit me hard was just her faith of reading from the scriptures bringing her closer to God and also receiving strength from reading. There is not enough gratitude in the world that I can gather just to say thank you to Heavenly Father. It reminds me of the talk from Russell M. Neilson. Thanks be to God!
We have so much to be grateful for even if things seem like there is nothing we can do about it. We know that our Heavenly Father will help us no matter what. He loves each of us the same and he loves when we talk with Him. "When you want to talk to Heavenly Father, Pray. When you want Heavenly Father to talk to you, read the Scriptures." John Bytheway. It is so true. When we read the scriptures (teachings of the prophets current and old) we are literally reading and hearing the words of God. It is something that I have found while out here. I can't memorize any scriptures from the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctirine & Covenants, or Pearl of Great Price. But I can memorize what the latter-day prophets say. Funny huh? I have found great power when I read their teachings. Great truths are revieled when we intently listen to the words from God because the Holy Ghost bears witness of what we need to hear. Thanks be to God!
So here in North Bay our investigator Alex dropped us this week so back to square one. :) Pray for guidance and go out finding! It is something that I am very bad at so I have been studying from the Ward Mission Process, Preach My Gospel, and from the Bishops hand book (he left it out and I copied pages from the Missionary section). It is just amazing how these things are related. It really does come from God on how we need to run these wards. Member Missionary Work here we come! Not too far behind you Annie and I agree I can't wait until I am a member missionary. Not because I will be home but because I can have a greater affect and influence for someone to receive the gospel into their lives. It is proven tha member missionary work is 660% better when they have a person in a members home to work with then missionaries who find on their own and 80% more effective when they just have a name to work with. If you think about that 1 out of 1000 people are baptized and recieve ordinances from missionaries personal finding, 80 out of 1000 people when they are given a name, and 660 out of 1000 when they have a person and member to work with. Crazy right! We have a sacred responsibility as members. Something to look forward to in over a year and a half.
Rachel- Let me and Annie know how Inter-School goes. I know you will be great and I hope you have fun while you do it. Just remember high school is short and you are on the tail end. Make the best of it! Also I hope you are having fun in school.
Natalie- School is fun at college huh! I bet you are excited to be off for he semester really soon. When does the semester end? Are you going to do anything over the christmas break with any of your friends from college?
Annie- You are such a great example keep up the hard work. Please keep me updated on how you are doing. I will keep you in my prayers. Sorry not to many people here now about you except the members do! I have only been in NOrth Bay :)
Megan & Justin thanks for all you do I am excited to see what you have sent me. Thanks
Mom- alright the lights are up! congradulations! sorry I am running out of time. I hope you have a great thanksgiving
Dad- Thanks for the messages even through the members. I agree canadians have the thanksgiving date wrong. It makes sense but it needs to be in November!
I love you all and thanks for all you do!
Love your favorite Elder, Brother, and Son
Landon Webb
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