THE WELCOME HOME PARTAY!

Funny side note - we were waiting in terminal ONE when we suddenly realized that she would be coming in terminal TWO!!  We ran as fast as we could through the terminals and made it!

AXIOUSLY WAITING!!

Missing from this pic is Doug and Leslie Webb and Jim-Rachel-Caroline-Jake Allen.  Thanks to everyone for coming!

Grandma Judy

Grandpa David

President Mortensen, our stake president, works as an assistant secretary to the First Presidency.  He invited us up to the Church Administration building for Jessica's release.  We got to sit the conference room where the First Presidency and 12 Apostles meet.  It was beautiful and a great afternoon!  Jessica invited Ashten Edens to join us.

Home Sweet Home!

My Last Email . . .

Jason was baptized this week!  That was amazing.  We found out that he passed the interview so we pulled together one of the best baptisms you have ever seen in THREE days.  Woohooo!!!!  It was actually really good.  It was right after the women's broadcast and his parents came, along with some friends. The Elders Quorum showed up with kids and treats too! The talks were a little long, but other than that it was really good J. We had dinner on Sunday with Jason and the Leishmans and that was fun!

I got to go on the departing temple trip on Tuesday and they had the video with the blonde Eve.  I had never seen that video before. It was really really cool. I almost remembered all the words at the veil!  It was fun to be with all the departing sisters, but it was strange because many of the sisters I came with left already. I felt the Spirit really strong that day.

I also had the departing interview and that was a ton of fun.  President talked a lot about two things.  First he talked about how to be a missionary at home. He is from Utah and he is an amazing missionary. He has baptized more people in Utah than anyone I have ever met.  I have a goal to be like him.  He also talked a ton about marriage......um...... still don't quite know what to think about that.

Lurene got a bunch of people together to visit me and my companion on Friday.  It was amazing! We had lunch and just talked.  It was all of my "moms" on my mission who helped me become a missionary. 

I have been working on being consecrated (as usual) and this week I had a goal to talk to everyone.  There was a boy walking down the street while we were pulling away from an appointment, and I had the impression to talk to him, so we pulled the car over and started talking to him.  He wasn't a golden investigator but he was TOTALLY interested in what we were talking about.  God really helped us find someone who needed to be found.

The women's broadcast was also amazing!  The entire time I was tearing up because I felt like EVERY SINGLE talk was made for Amanda!  I've been praying and thinking about her so much, and it was miraculous to me to hear the broadcast and recognize that God has been thinking of her and he will help her get through it all.

Honestly I thought my last week would have been totally different. I thought that I was going to be so fired up, my key indicators would be sky high, and I was probably going to raise someone from the dead.... but this week wasn't like that at all.  This week was a normal week (with a few abnormal things)... except that PEACE has been with me consistently.  I feel so happy and so at peace.  I think my companion thinks I'm a freak because I haven't cried or anything.  I've just felt really peaceful.  So for my final "Sister Webb Sermon" I wanted to remind the members of the church what they signed up for by being baptized and obedient.  You signed up for peace.  Life will not always be easy, in fact sometimes it's a LONG HARD road... but you have to keep going.  As Elder Holland said, "some blessings come late, and some don't come till heaven, but for those who faithfully endure, they do come".  Over every hill, through every tear, in every trial, and in every smile those who faithfully endure will have peace . . . the peace Christ promised his disciples as he was nailed to OUR cross when he said, "Peace I leave with you, peace I give unto you.  Not as the world giveth give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.  FOR I THE LORD GOD AM WITH YOU whithersoever thou goest."

I witness that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints is the Kingdom of God and it has been established on the earth for EVERY soul that has ever lived and will live.  I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fullness so we can have exalation and go back to our REAL home.  I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and I know that Thomas S. Monson is also a prophet.  I witness that Jesus is the Christ.  The Savior and Redeemer of my soul, and though my tag comes off tomorrow (yikes) I don't need it anymore to be a missionary. 

I love you all so much and I'll talk to you soon!

Love, Sister Jessica Webb

MY AMAZING FRIENDS FROM WESTMINSTER

Jason's Baptism!!

Thank You SISTER WEBB for you service!!

Dear Jessica,

As your mission is drawing to a close, many of us who love you are reflecting on the last 18 months and the personal feelings, experiences and testimony you have shared with all of us.  We are better disciples of Christ because of your letters and great faith!  We have experienced a desire to serve others in meaningful ways, look for missionary opportunities all around us, see all those around us as our brothers and sisters, and had a desire to strengthen our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  THANK YOU for being open, honest, real, full of faith, and for working and giving all you have to the people of Long Beach, California!  We love you so much!

Mom

Last Week Out . . .

SOOOOO, this week was a mix of many feelings! 

1- Jenny- So JENNY.  This week was interesting.  We got a call from Jenny saying that she needed to talk to us on Thursday.  We scheduled an appointment for Friday.  Friday was exchanges and it was the longest day of my life.  I was exhausted, and when we pulled up to Jenny's house I didn't know what to do because we didn't actually know if she was home (she hadn't contacted us) and it was getting late... So we decided to knock on the door anyway instead of just finishing the night and going home (miracle #1). Well, we walk in the door and the house was PACKED.  There were people bouncing off the walls and all of them wanted to talk to us.  In my head I was thinking "Oh crap, there goes this lesson".  We sat down and talked for a second, and then I summoned EVERY bit of courage I had and asked everyone if they would leave so we could speak to Jenny alone... and I never do stuff like that (miracle #2).  Jenny then COMPLETELY opened up to us and told us all of her concerns and worries with the church and herself.  We had an incredible discussion.  The Spirit had filled the room and near the end we asked Jenny to pray.  I have never in my life heard someone offer a more sincere prayer.  I started crying and so did Jenny and my companion. With an abundance of the Spirit, Jenny finished the prayer and looked up she said, "I'm ready".  The tears just flowed.  (miracle #3).  We scheduled the interview for the next day and she told her girls about her decision.  Even though they weren't members (except for Rebecca) they were SO excited (miracle #4).  She passed her interview with FLYING colors (miracles #5) and she went home to tell her husband who is less active that she was ready.  Needless to say, he flipped out about tithing and a number of other things.  Jenny had received an undeniable witness that this church was true and she was devastated that she couldn't be baptized because she couldn't pay tithing.  We were depressed too.  We told President Parker and he was sad about it.  On Sunday night we received a call from him though, saying that he had talked to our mission president.  Our Mission President said that if she was completely ready to be baptized (which she undoubtedly is) she could be baptized and work with her husband to eventually pay tithing. (miracle #6)  We told Jenny last night and we are not sure what is going to happen. She was so excited and we are excited to see what happens.  She might be baptized this weekend, but she might still want more time. It was an incredible experience though and it definitely changed my life.

2- Jason also might be baptized, but he had a really hard weekend . . . so we'll see what happens.

3- Long (our new investigator’s name)- On exchanges I was trying to teach the Sister I was with about prayers, and how effective prayers can be.  So we prayed to find a new investigator and we prayed to know what to look for.  We both felt it would be an Asian male who was tall, skinny and athletic.   When I opened my eyes from the prayer there was a large, bald Asian man walking down the street and the Spirit said "Go talk to that guy".  I was thinking "Well God, the only part of the description that fits that guy is Asian but whatever you say I'll do..." So we hopped out of the car and went to talk to him. He wasn't interested but we moved along, talking to everyone and to potentials.  When we were starting to go back to the car a skinny athletic little Vietnamese boy was walking towards us.  He was the new investigator!!   AND the bald guy was his dad! :)

4- Pants- I know this sounds stupid but I prayed that I would find pants.  I don't really have a pair of pants that I like or love and I wanted a pair of pants before I went home.  So I prayed for it.  I told my companion what I was looking for and she was like "okay we'll hunt on p-day".  Well, we didn't have to.  Sister Kirk, a member in our ward, owns an online clothing store and she gave me some pants as a going away gift and then she gave Sister Allen a new dress for her birthday!  She had exactly the pants I was looking for :)

 I KNOW that this is God’s church. I KNOW HE KNOWS YOU!  He hears your prayers and He loves you more than anything in the world.  He WANTS you to succeed and if you rely on Him always you will . . . In one way or another.  I love you all, see you next week!

Love, Jekkers

Sister Allen's birthday celebration!

Party and games for Sister Allen on her birthday (which was our P-day)

2 weeks. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED!  I ONLY HAVE 2 WEEKS LEFT!  SO WEIRD! This week was awesome, here are the highlights:

2 Exchanges- We went on TWO exchanges this week. and. I'm. so. tired.

Interviews- We had interviews with President this week and he talked with me about missionary work the WHOLE time  (#bestalmostlastinterviewever)!  Literally at the end he was like, "well we will miss you when you leave" and that was IT.  I wasn’t even trunky H.A.L.L.E.L.U.J.U.A. 

Zone Conference- We also had zone conference and we received instruction that we need to work more with the youth.  They told us that our focus should be on them and helping them and their friends come into the church.  It was really cool.

Dylan-  From week one when I got here there is a name in the area book that has always stood out to me.  His name is Dylan and he lives in an apartment complex but nobody wrote down his apartment number.  So because this name stuck out to me so much, one day I decided we were going to knock every door in the complex.  Nobody knew who he was and so we kind of left it at that.  But I NEVER took the teaching record out of the area book (which is so unlike me, I always throw unhelpful things away).  At church this week a lady came up to us and asked if we were seeing him.  She said she had the impression that she needed to talk to us about him, and she told us that Brother Kirk went with the missionaries to see him. So we talked to Brother Kirk and he agreed to come with us that night so that we could find him.  He is 11 and he wanted to be baptized but his mom flipped out the DAY of his baptism.  When we visited him, his oldest brother answered the door and was TOTALLY interested too.  He and Brother Kirk became best buds and all of the sudden both of them wanted a church tour and wanted to come to church with us.  He said his mom would be okay with it if he went with Dylan.  AHHHHH!!!  Member missionaries are INCREDIBLE!  I think that was the missing piece to us reuniting with Dylan!!

Miley- This week when we saw Miley we taught about Sabbath Day observance.  In the middle of the lesson she cries out, "I WANT TO BE BAPTIZED SO BAD, I'LL DO ANYTHING TO BE BAPTIZED".  Needless to say we set a date in April (dang it I won't be there) and we talked the rest of the time about the Law of Chastity and The Word of Wisdom, two of Satan's favorite sins.

My time is winding down yet it is going so fast here and I continue to be so busy!

Love you all!

Crazy Week Full of Twists and Turns

Okay people... this week was nuts and I mean REALLY nuts so HOLD ON....

1) Car Accident- I got in my VERY FIRST car accident and it was a p.a.r.t.y.  It wasn't that bad and I know we were blessed.  So we were in the left turning lane and a big black SUV was turning right from the street we were supposed to turn into.  Well she was an idiot and pulled out to turn right in oncoming traffic.  She was T-boned and swung around and hit the back of our car! Only one person was wheeled away on a gurney (and it wasn't me or my comp) and even she seemed like she only went on the gurney because she was so shaken up. 

2)  A new investigator! -  So this week we planned to go see a former investigator and we knock on the door and Amanda comes out.  She told us she wants to learn about Mormons so we go in and start talking to her.  She is amazing!  She lives with less active members (who were not on the ward list- we found them too, and they want to come back to church) and they have been preparing her for the church.  She told me that she had a DREAM about a girl that looks like me.  She said I was dressed in white and I came with angels and I took her hand and started leading her.  The same night we found her. we brought priesthood holders to give her a blessing and the next day we taught her the restoration in the morning and took her on a church tour in the afternoon. It was an amazing experience. She was at church this week along with the less active family.

3) I ate wheat this week accidentally and threw up. BUT this is really really interesting- not only did I throw up after the lesson with Jason- but before I was about to throw up I started thinking about joy and happiness. I wondered if it would be possible to find joy even when you are sick.  So I was hunched over the toilet thinking about joy and right before I threw up I started laughing thinking I was SUCH AN IDIOT for trying to find the good things about getting sick :)  So I guess you can find joy when you are sick too.

4) Jenny- I had the impression to set a date with Jenny, and when we knocked on the door that evening, she was home alone, so we got to talk to her privately.  It was an amazing experience. She wants to be baptized but she is so scared.  We talked a lot about it and set a tentative date that she wants to keep quite for now.  It will be interesting to see if it actually works out, but either way, now she has the option.  I really love her.

5) Jason- we were worried that the Word of Wisdome would prevent Jason from being baptized and GUESS WHAT- he already obeys the entire word of wisdom except for tea!  So he is going to be baptized not this weekend but next! He loves our church and he is super excited to be a member.  I don't think I have ever met anyone so golden in my life.

6) Fireside - This week we had a fireside that the stake coordinated and it was all about missionary work.  We had Jenny and Jason there and they loved it.  At the end, the missionaries sang the medley, Armies of Helaman/Sisters in Zion.  It was really amazing and the Spirit was so strong.  President and his whole family were there.  Definitely a mission highlight for me!

7) Sunday I show up to church and Lurene and Sister Pugeda were there from La Mirada.  Lurene was the first person I met off the plane from Utah and the first baptism I had.  It was SO COOL!  We also had like 4 investigators and church and I was able to share my testimony during sacrament meeting with my companion.  It was fun.  I actually like sharing my testimony.  I hope Lurene gets to go to the temple before I leave.  I want to go with them.

So here is the "Sister Webb #1 (Mandy's #2) revelation" for this week.  I was reading this morning in John when Christ is in the Garden of Gethsemane.  The guards walked up to the Savior and said, "Whom seek ye?".   The guards replied "Jesus" and Jesus responds, "I AM HE".  He had the opportunity to not allow his identity to be recognized.  He could have run from false accusations, He could have avoided crucifixion, He could have walked away and lived to be 95!  But he didn’t - he turned himself in on false charges and accusations. He handed himself over.  He said, "I AM HE".  When we are accused of wrong things, when we are asked to proclaim our religion, when we are asked to stand alone, when others are seeking to destroy us . . . do we have the courage to say, "Yes, you are looking for me".  When our standards are compromised, when we have few places to run, when we don't like God’s timing, when we are afraid, lonely, rejected and so many other things, how do we stand and what do we stand for?  Not only should we stand but we should be willing to face pure rejection and even false accusation to be advocates of Christ. There is no buttering up, beating around the bush, or being nice about some principles of the gospel.  They simply are what they are.  We can choose to take it or leave it.

Anywhoooo- LOVE YOU!! Have a good week!

So happy to see Lurene on Sunday, who showed up to surprise me!  

Letter From Pres. Patterson

Dear Brother and Sister Webb,

Your daughter, Sister Jessica Webb, will complete her mission on the 28th of March, 2017. We have attached her final travel itinerary. In case flights and times change between now and the day of departure, please check your missionary’s travel plans via Internet for updates.

 Sister Webb is a wonderful missionary, and I am so please to have served as her mission president.  She has been dedicated to her missionary purpose to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.  She has learned to be led by the Spirit, study the gospel effectively, teach doctrine simply and clearly, bear testimony with power and conviction, and love those around her.  She has learned the importance of being obedient, planning effectively, setting goals, working hard, and relying on the Lord to accomplish the work of salvation.  Your daughter will be greatly missed.

This letter is not intended to signify that your daughter’s missionary experience is over. The Lord not only requires His servants to endure to the end, but also pours out additional blessings upon those who do so.  We have found that missionaries who work hard right up to their departure date have some of their most rewarding experiences and their greatest successes in the last few weeks of their missions. Please encourage your daughter to remain diligent and focused right to the end of her mission.

 I am certain your daughter will continue to share her testimony and strengths to help establish the Church wherever she may go in life. I express my deepest gratitude to you, Brother and Sister Webb, for sending such a fine missionary to the California Long Beach Mission. Sister Patterson and I have enjoyed serving alongside Sister Webb in this sacred calling as a full-time missionary.

Sincerely,

President Brian P. Patterson