Families Are Everything!

This week was really really busy (as they all are).

The thing about missionary work is that it's busy all the time!  I do different things every day, but it all mushes together and I don't know what actually happened. 

We went to the LA Temple visitors center on Saturday with M &L and a wonderful older couple (Bro. & Sister P) from our ward. That was a really cool experience!  We felt the spirit as we talked about eternal families and temple ordinances. I love the people I have met in this area and ward!  I love them so much and I would do anything for them.  It is going to be so hard when I have to leave. We are going to celebrate Sister P's birthday on Tuesday and we have a BUSY week ahead of us.  We have been finding like CRAZY and are planning on converting everyone in our area (just to let you know).

We also had zone conference on Friday. That took all day, but it was also a neat experience.  We mostly talked about missionary work (surprise) but they also stressed the importance of family history work. I have actually started to work on family history a little bit and I am really enjoying it. I have an incredible family and amazing ancestors.  I feel like they have really helped me on my mission, especially at my lower moments.

There is nothing like family.  Family is the most important organization in the eternities. Being on a mission and being at this point in my life is going to impact my future family quite a bit.  It will determine later decisions I have to make, and it has helped me recognize what I want in an eternal family!  I know God puts us in our families for a reason. Some families have a really hard time. I work with struggling families every. single. day. I can promise that God puts us exactly where we need to be.  So when family life gets hard, I think it's important to have faith that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and he will help us rise above our challenges.  He has a plan for everyone!  It's hard because His plan is not always our plan . . . but that's okay.  By trusting in Him, it makes everything that is hard okay in the end!  I know this is true!

I love you all, have a good week!

Love, Jess

Last Week's Email That Didn't Go Through . . . Dated February 15th

Hello Everyone!  Email is back up and running.  I thought this got sent last week, but it didn't.  Here is a recap:

We got to do service this week on Friday for HOURS and HOURS!  We cleaned up the yard of an old abandon house and we still aren't done.  The whole zone was working on it. All the elders and the sisters... and we didn't even touch the backyard.  It was a ton of fun.  It was hot, but we worked hard and it felt really good.  

Oh that's the other thing... It's HOT!  It's not even jacket weather.  It's just warm. There is also this crazy fog that we sometimes see in the morning.  It has only happened four or five times since I've been out so far... but it happened this week.  I would take a picture of it to show you, but you can't take pictures of fog:)

We have spent most of our time finding.  When we don't have appointments (we only have 1 or 2 a day) we are out finding.   Finding means walking (by the way).  It is busy but it's a different kind of busy.  It is a busy that takes some getting use to.  At the beginning of my mission, it felt like a giant waste of time. I felt like I was just walking and talking to people who didn't want to talk to me.  But the miracles we see when we are walking are crazy.  It's not every day that we see miracles.  Sometimes we walk for like two or three hours and we don't end up with anything worthwhile. That's always hard. Sometimes we have success though, and that's exciting!

FOR EXAMPLE:  This Saturday we were walking an entire tract.  Tracts here are like blocks on steroids.  Think of Nolan Park in Eagle Mountain.  A tract is about 5 Nolan Park's wide and 8 long! We had two and a half hours so we decided during daily planning that we were going to walk from one potential investigator to another on the other side of the block and contact everyone we could on the way there.  We tried both potential investigators and we were leaving the complex.  A lady was yelling at someone in her house (not friendly) and  we knew we should contact her.  We were tired and we had been completely rejected for the past two hours. My companion looked at me and walked away from me and the lady . . . but I set a goal to talk to everyone towards the beginning of my mission.  So I walked up to her, introduced myself and she said, "Hi Sisters!  I just moved here with my husband. I'm inactive but I was baptized as a teenager but I LOVE the missionaries.  Do you want to come in and teach my husband and I?"  So we got water bottles, a new less active member, and a new investigator (her husband).  TALK TO EVERYBODY. Hardest most rewarding missionary rule ever!  You don't even know how many times I have been so close to not talking to someone, and when I do, they end up needing us.  

Sure love you all!  Keep praying for me!  I feel it and it makes a BIG difference!!

Love, Sister Webb

Missionary Email Down

Well,  the mission email system has been struggling for the past few weeks.  I called the Missionary Department in SLC and they said it was having troubles church-wide, but should be resolved by Monday.  FINGERS CROSSED!  It turns out that Jessica could receive emails but couldn't send any.  Thank heavens for a wonderful senior missionary couple who spent the day with Jessica (Grandma & Grandpa) at Zone Conference on Friday and to M & L, Jessica's family away from home, who were recently baptized.  M&L invited Jessica and Sis. Lambson to tour the LA Temple with them today.  I received real-time updates in pictures and am SO GRATEFUL for those who love and watch over Jessica in California!!

Sis Webb & Sis Lambson

Mom & Dad with Jessica and Elder Anderson who is a cousin with an really amazing family history story.  We didn't know he was a cousin until Dad had some experiences that led him to discover this.  This would be first introductions for everyone in this picture:)

Jessica enjoyed lunch with Grandma, even though she could only eat the salad:)

L loves Jessica like her own daughter, she told me today.

The other couple in this picture are members in Jessica's ward.  This sweet sister LOVES the missionaries in her ward!  She has make blankets, towels, pillowcases and GF food for Jessica.  She recently taught them how to make tamales.  This sister picked Jessica up at the airport and told her she was now her mission mom.  I truly LOVE the members in  Cypress!

I was laughing at this picture and told L I was guessing Jessica chose a Taylor Swift song to listen to.  She told me she didn't . . . but never told me what she chose:)

The Fastest Week So Far!!

Oh man, this week flew by until Saturday. 

We had a ton of things we wanted to do and we have been working really hard to get everything done. I love my new companion, I love the area, I love the ward... I just love everything I guess.  I'm still getting use to being a missionary. I may end up being that missionary that needs half their mission to get use to everything.  TODAY IS MY FIVE MONTH MARK!  Who knew it would go by so fast.  I feel like I just started.  I don't know very much still, but I'm getting there... I think... maybe.  Anyway- EXPERIENCES!!!

1) Sister M made the best gluten free pizza I have ever had. 

2) We contacted people for 14 hours between Friday and Saturday.  In case you don't know what that means, it means knocking, walking, and talking.  I was beat.  It was a long weekend. We also didn't have much (any) success.  That was tiring, but I have never ever slept so good in my life. In fact I had a dream that me and Libby went hiking. That was a blast. 

3) There was one guy that was getting out of his car, and we walked up to him and started talking. He had just gotten out of prison and was going to go to church (not our church).  He walked in the church and his phone went off.  So he decided to leave and take the call, and he met us as he was pulling up to his house.  He was really cool, and we are going to go back and teach him. He was interested in our message and he really needed it. 

I miss being able to see M & L as much as we have in the past but they are doing so well and are loving the people in our ward.  Hope you have a good week!

Love, Sister Webb

A New Companion and Grandma's Apron

Well, after my 4th transfer I am still in Cypress.  I really love it here!  AND . . .I have a new companion!  I love her so much. She has such a bright personality and she is a great missionary! Her name is Sister Lambson.  She has been out quite a bit longer than I have.  We are TOTALLY redoing the area and the ward.  We have been working SO HARD this week.  I get back in the evening and am absolutely exhausted.  It's so much fun :)  We have had more than several miracles this week.  We are a power-companionship because both of us want to work, both of us are super obedient, and we have TONS of fun together.

Our numbers this week were OFF THE CHARTS!  It totally shows the potential of our area.  We started working with the ward a little more and we are completely revamping the area book.  I'M SO EXCITED!

My trainer (first companion) is now in the singles ward.  She taught me so many things.  She taught me to love everybody, no matter how difficult that can be.  She taught me to laugh and have fun in every situation no matter how hard things are.  She helped me learn how to be patient, and she taught me how to be obedient for my own sake and by my own will.  I loved her so much and I miss her. 

God gives us blessings in the form of many things.  Sometimes the blessings are visible blessings and sometimes blessings come in the form of trials.  I've decided the best thing to do is to put on my big kid pants and take it for what it is.  It will pass and we can come out stronger or we can come out bitter.

Love you all! 

Love, Jess

***On a separate note and for Jessica's missionary blog-book, I am going to include a sweet story my Mom shared with Jessica this week***

"The Apron"

Today I had a very humbling experience.  Grandpa and I have become good friends with a couple we think highly of.  The wife has Parkinson’s disease and really shakes.  She gave me a gift today.  She had sewn me an apron.  I couldn’t believe it!  It must have taken her a long time because her motor skills are so poor.  I was overwhelmed by this act of kindness.  I love her and I must say this will be a gift I will always cherish.

We are really enjoying our mission.  I can’t believe the changes I have felt in my life. It is such a wonderful opportunity to be giving so much service and not having to worry about anything but the people we love here in Whittier.  We love our Ward.  There are not a whole lot of active people and the motto of the ward is; “We are small but we are mighty!” 

My mom LOVES aprons.  She has many.  She told me that several months ago she saw this sweet lady with an apron on that covered her from front to back.  Mom thought that was so cool and asked her where she could get one.  Before this woman got Parkinson's she was an amazing seamstress.  She told mom she had made it and that was the end of that conversation.  Months later, she presented Mom with this beautiful apron.  The truth is, you just can't help but LOVE my Mom!  She's wonderful!

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE!!!

M and L were baptized.  I don't even know how to describe my emotions.  The baptism was wonderful (except for the fact that the water was super cold).  We had an incredible turnout from the ward.  The ward really loves Sister S and I.  It's like our family.  We go to them if we have problems and they come to us too. Anyway, Sister S spoke and I was able to sing. The baptism was really exciting.  There were times when I felt the spirit during the baptism- but the moment when I felt the spirit the strongest was when we were cleaning up and putting things away.  Everyone was bustling around and finally we finished.  I had been talking to a few men in the ward and thanking them for their help.  A few more came and joined until it was me and about 9 adult men.  Someone else started talking and I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude as I was looking at these good, kind, men who love the Lord.  I can't begin to express my gratitude . . . these men are worthy priesthood holders and faithful leaders in our ward.  It made me realize what kind of member I need to be (even though I'm a girl) and what kind of a person I want to marry.  It also reminded me how grateful I am for Ward Families!  We experienced a similar feeling in Singapore and I have an amazing Ward Family in Eagle Mountain as well. M and L are my family now.  I love them like family and I am excited to see what the Savior has in store for them as they continue to be covenant keeping disciples of Christ.  

We also had two other miracles this week

1) We were walking during a "District Blitz" and ran into a young lady with a baby.  We ended up talking to her and finding out that her husband had a drug addiction.  We invited them to the ARP (addiction recovery program) meeting and we had the opportunity to join them in the meeting. That was also a really neat experience.  She had been praying that day for help- and she met us a few minutes after she had left her home.  She later starting crying during the ARP meeting, being overwhelmed with a feeling of love from God.  HE IS REAL!

2) We hadn't taught anyone on Friday and we have to teach every night (mission rule).  We had ten minutes left so we stopped on the street and prayed.  It was 8:44pm and we were on a sketchy street (sorry mom). Sister S turned down a super dark ally (she wouldn't normally do that) and this HUGE dog just started booking it in our direction.  I started thinking about how I was going to kick it, when suddenly it stopped right in front of us and it's owner came chasing after it. This led us to a new investigator with only 10 minutes left in our day- and we taught a 10 minute lesson. Not to mention we didn't get eaten by the dog!  We got back home at 9:02 (two minutes late but close enough).  

GOD LOVES US SO MUCH!  It has been a good week. 

Transfers are tomorrow and I will be getting a new companion.  She is from Connecticut and has been out a little over a year.  I am staying in Cypress and I am so happy about that.  I have loved my time with Sis. S from Tonga.  I will love her forever and I'm grateful for all she has taught me!

Two Dear Friends Baptized

So this week Jessica had a very limited time on the computer to email.  It was Martin Luther King Day and since the public libraries were closed, the Elders all had to email from the church.  This meant "email shifts".  Jessica didn't write a formal letter, but I wanted to share a few wonderful things that we emailed back and forth about.  

Jessica ran into an Indian woman on the street this week.  She had just sent her daughter off to the military and when these two sister missionaries approached her and started visiting with her, she broke down in tears and told them how hard it was being apart from her daughter.  Jessica said this triggered tears for her and she told me how she was able to relate to her feelings.  I told Jessica how much we miss her and how sometimes I have a deep ache from missing her so much.  There have been a few times when I have knelt down in prayer for peace and comfort, knowing she is exactly where she needs to be, but longing to talk to her and see her face to face.  In these moments I have felt the very distinct impression that "She is in the palm of My hand.  Just trust me!"  So I asked her what that meant  She said, "It means He controls everything!  LIKE EVERYTHING.  He caters the weather, food, people and everything to you.  But his goodness does depend on your faithfulness and obedience"  Pretty amazinng.

The other big news is that tonight (Wednesday, Jan, 20th) at 8pm M&L were baptized!  I have been looking forward to this day since we spend time with them at Temple Square.  Here is my text to L this morning:

ME:Hi L!  Jessica told us you and M are getting baptized this evening!  We are so excited for both of you!  My parents, Dave & Judy Allen, are coming to support you in this decision as well!  How we LOVE you and Mike and know you will feel an increase of the Holy Spirit in your life with this decision. Thank you for being so kind and generous to Jessica!  She adores you both.
I was reading this scripture in the Book of Mormon last night and thought of you two...Moroni 6:3-4

3 And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.

4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.

L: This is beautiful.  We are very excited about tonight. I think back often the first night I met Jessica . . .the moment she got off the plane and they came directly to my house. That look on her face with her bottom eye lids full of flowing tears.  I honestly believe she and S were sent here for ME because I never gave to much attention to the Elders.  When Jessica, with her soft spoken voice comes over and teaches the gospel you can not only feel the Spirit but the love she shares with all. I heard last night that this weekend they are supposed to have transfers.  I said in shock, while standing up in front of them, "" OH NO!  You need to write the Bishop or the President or all of them and let them know I still need you!"  In reality her mission was accomplished.  They got my attention and that's what God wanted her to do.  My deceased daughter, N, also needed help to save her Mom! It's been a pleasure to get to know these Sisters.  I hope to always keep in in contact with you all!  I love you so very much!  I will send pictures from tonight."

Feeling SO GRATEFUL for this wonderful Gospel and the happiness it brings in to so many lives!