12-27-2012

Landon’s Letter

Hey My Family

Wow I can't believe that it is almost 2013. But we SURVIVED! Remember that karioke song "I'm a survivor". Haha that definately went through my head that day. (Apostate I know, it was just funny) It was so great to hear from almost everyone. (Annie and Jon). But it was really great. I do agree with Annie though. I do want 2 letters from 2 people......................any guesses? haha just when ever you 2 have some free and extra time. So I guess I should tell you first off, I am having P-Day next week on Wednesday. Then the week after that we will be returning to the normal Monday P-Day. Just FYI. Well nothing new has happened since the 25th but I can tell you this Boxing Day is almost as crazy as Black Friday. On Christmas Day we had a dinner appointment with the Shepards and they told me that last year they went out shopping on Boxing Day and there was a line of 400 people to a store at 5:45 a.m. So I think I will stick with Black Friday. But everything but the stores were closed. Crazy huh?

The Book of Mormon reading was so much fun! I will talk more about that next week!

Rachel-I am sorry you were feeling sick :( that's no fun hopefully you get feeling better soon. You might even be feeling better already. I know around here there has been the 24 hour bug. Maybe it's that? Hopefully!

Natalie-Congradulations! That is good news! Sorry you can't be my only favorite sister because I have 4 favorite sisters ;) So how was your first semester at college? Was it what you expected?

Annie-I will try and write a letter really soon. Things have just been crazy! How have things been going for you? How was your Christmas? What did you do? I hope that I hear from you soon!

Megan & Justin- Keep smiling! :) It was great to see you two. I hope that you are seeing the joy of serving. You may not be serving like me and Annie but you are still building the Lords Kingdom and preparing future missionaries! Thanks for the Christmas Presents!

Mom-It was great to see you! Thank you so much for all that you have given especially for all the Christmas stuff! It was so exciting to get it! I have alot of stuff to be grateful for. I hope that your Christmas was great like mine!

Dad-Thanks for all that you do! You have helped me out so much! I hope that I get your letter today or soon. I still haven't gotten it. It was great to hear and talk with each of you! Maybe if and when you send the card you should send it to the mission office? I don't know about this new mailing place.

I love each and everyone of you and am deeply grateful for each of you in my life!

Love your favorite Elder, Brother, and Son

Landon Webb

Annie’s Letter (12-31-12)

Satanic Contortionists, that’s exciting…

...Don't ask me. I don't know. It's just something I said in my sleep... according to Sister Twitchell. haha.

SO OH MY GOSH! NATALIE AND JON!!! CONGRATULATIONS! i AM SO HAPPY! Like I already told Nat, I started bawling in the library. People are going to think missionaries are weird. BUT I'M SO EXCITED! Seriously, best. Christmas. present. ever.

Speaking of Christmas presents... THANKS! I love all my wonderful presents! The clothes are all so cute! They skirts are a little big...but that's okay, they still work. Good thing I have hips!

So, I have been thinking about Christy. Can someone tell me what is going on there? You said in an email a while ago that she looks lost and you didn't think she would ever come out of it? Come out of what? (also, please take this part out before you post this email. thanks.)

So I have to admit... I love the UW hat. Despite the fact that it is brown and gold and ... UW-ish. It's super fun and I wear it often. At home. With the cute penguin slippers. haha.

Seriously, thank you all so much. You are the best. It was a wonderful Christmas! We got up and studied like normal and then went downstairs and opened presents. Sister Twitchell says thank you for the book! Me too! I have been so excited about that book! I am glad we got it! You guys are stellar! Then we took a 3 hour nap and got to work! We did some awesome finding on Christmas night. We talked to some incredible people and have some return appointments we are excited about. It was really a wonderful Christmas. Plus, like Sister Skaggs told you... I GOT SHRIMP! It was so fun to share that tradition with them! it's amazing how fast 4 lbs of shrimp can disappear!

So here is a story about faith.

'Twas the Saturday before Christmas in Worthington Ward

Lindsay was getting baptized, making promises with the Lord.

The Marysville Sisters knew the spirit would be there,

so we took Brooklyn so the feeling could be shared.

After the ordinance was done and complete,

Brooklyn admitted she felt pretty neat.

She wasn't 100 % convinced it was true

But she had faith baptism was the thing she should do.

So we started making plans, for in just one week

Brooklyn would be baptized, isn't that sweet?

Now Christmas has come and Christmas has gone,

it's Monday and we meet Brooklyn, never a yawn.

She tells us she talked with her member friend, so dear

and they think she should wait and be baptized in the new year.

Even though the story doesn't end how we want

we know that we will be filling the font.

Taking steps of faith can be kind of scary,

but the results of such will always make us so merry.

The Lord will provide for us, for one and for all

as we try to come closer to him, he will not let us fall.

So yeah, Brooklyn decided to get baptized next year. Which is sad but it's okay. We learned that the Lord will always provide a way if we act in faith. We did everything we could, but we can't take away her agency. She will still get baptized so it's okay.

I have loved Christmas this year1 What a wonderful time of year it is to celebrate the birth of our Savior. It has been especially sweet this year to celebrate as a missionary and to feel the spirit so strongly. On Christmas Eve we were tracting and we got into this wonderful family. They have very strong faith. They allowed us to share a Christmas message with them and it was just wonderful. The spirit was so strong! I love Christ. I love this gospel. I love serving a mission! I can't believe how fast it goes! I love what Landon's zone leader said. "some people just serve the Lord for 24 months. Others just serve the Lord. Which one will you be? You get to choose." So I hope you all make the choice! Jospeh Smith said "the standard of truth has been erected NO UNHALLOWED HAND CAN STOP THE WORK FROM PROGRESSING. The work is going to go on. We just have to choose whether or not we want to be helping that work or not. What a wonderful thing! I have been so grateful this week to be on a mission. I love it. I love sharing the gospel, I really do. I love being in Ohio and getting to know all the wonderful people here. I am so thankful for the wonderful examples I have all around me!

This morning we got some very sad news. Danielle (a fairly recent convert, less active) lost her baby this morning. She was life flighted to children's and passed away. How sad. I am just heartbroken for this little family. :-( I am so grateful for the knowledge we have, not the belief or even the hope...the KNOWLEDGE of the Plan of Salvation. It is amazing. It is truly amazing. I just don't know know what we would do without that incredible gift. Shane and Danielle can forever have Aeon sealed to them and they will be with their precious little girl again.

We are working hard.. Knocking doors, talking to everyone, doing everything we can to keep the work moving forward. It's a little slow for us right now, but we are doing our best to press forward. We have some great plans for the new year! We are working on setting some plans so that can visit lots of potentials and formers and really kick it into high gear! In our area book we have 44 pages of potentials. We are writing them all down, mapping them out and we are going to visit all of them! We are excited! Also, we learned a lot of wonderful things from our exchange with the sisters in Reynoldsberg and it has been SO fun to apply what we have learned and see the difference that it is starting to make! Things can only go up! It's game time. Our wonderful assistants said... "let's make 2013 one for the history books!" yeah!

It was great to talk to you all on Christmas. I wish Justin could have been there too, but it's okay. Work and all. I'll get to talk to you soon! And pester you! haha. Talking to you all was such a wonderful present. I love my family! I love all the support you give! It was so fun to talk to you!

So transfers are this week. I know they are always inspired and I look forward to being wherever I am called to be. I know that President receive revelation for this mission and I am so grateful for that! We are so blessed to have such a wonderful leader calling us to action, like Moroni!

Also, I don't have the Rappleye's address on me right now... but I will get it and send it to you! And just so you're aware... I will be spending more home money. Sorry I'm so expensive :-( I try not to be! But it's cold outside! So today I'm going to buy boots that are better for this weather. On Wednesday we got a ton of snow. They called it a blizzard... I wouldn't but they did. It was a lot of snow though, it has been fun. But I discovered that my black boots that I thought would be okay in water...aren't. My feet get very wet and very cold very quickly. Sorry sorry sorry. :-(

Well, I love you all! I hope you have a wonderful new year! Please eat some crab for me! I'm sad I'll be missing it! But it's okay, because I am doing the work of the Lord. And I'll get crab next year (sorry Lando) and I get double next year. :-) That's the plan! haha.

Well I love you all! I'll have someone let you know about transfers! Who knows, if the Madsen's are at our house, Sister Madsen might just be able to tell you! Btw... her 16 year old son's name is Christain.

Not Christopher. :-) You guys are so amazing! Love you love you love you!

Tata!

Annie

ps... the other picture is our basement. Where the wall is definitely starting to bow out. It wasn't like that when I got here 6 months ago...scary! But the maintenance people are coming today. So that's good news! lol