July 28th, 2014 - Last Letter Home, still in denial that I am going home. I love this Gospel and I am grateful for all it has helped me become.

Well I am still in denial that I am going home. Even though all my bags are packed (and I'm sure overweight... oops! ) I still cannot get myself to think it’s almost all over. I think most of you know I am not good with goodbyes, but strangely I have been okay. I think it’s slowly building up, and the water works will start on the plane, but I just feel so gull of love and comfort. This has been an amazing week for me and the Lord has blessed me so much in the last week I have had in the mission field. I have learned so much, changed a lot, and have felt the power of the Atonement help me become more of the person God wants me to be. I have really been reflecting on my mission and realized the amount of growth I have had is unbelievable. I feel so grateful for all the experiences I have had and for the love I have felt from our Father in Heaven. Even if it hasn't fully hit me that my mission is almost over and I know it is going to be hard to go back home, and leave here, I know God will help me through it.

This week has been the best! Wednesday I had exchanges with Sister Birk, and we had a great day teaching. Even with our curfew we were able to teach 7 lessons. She is an amazing missionary and she and I had some good talks when we were studying at night.

Sa Thursday, Sister Adkins and I taught the lesson on the Plan of Salvation for District Meeting and we both felt prompted to assign the different parts of the plan to companionship's and have them find the simple doctrines and testify of how the doctrines have changed their life. Each section, and each topic was so inspired and it was a great time with our District. We were locked out of the church, so we asked our landlord to let us use the empty apartment next to ours for our meeting... haha it was fun. It reminded me of bearing our testimonies at girls camp by the campfire, but this was missionaries, in a dim apt with no electricity sharing testimony of the plan of salvation. It was great! Then something great happened that night... we got power!!!! I thought we would not have until I left the Philippines! Not every area has it, but the places closer to centro do! I actually liked it better studying by candlelight but it was great to be able to listen to MoTab and EFY again (:

Sa Friday, we had an awesome lesson with the best family here, Cynthia and Reynan. They seriously know it’s true. We taught them about the Plan of Salvation. Brother and Sister have been reading, and they taught us what they have been learning and they were so excited they learned that there are three kingdoms of glory, not just heaven and hell. Their kids are so cute and play with my hair, fall asleep with their head on my lap, and always rummage through my bag looking for candy haha. They were a referral from a member, and I have been so blessed to been able to teach them at the start of their conversion. That night we celebrated Sister Lomas birthday. Their house is half gone from the bagyo, but they are still smiling! She said she'd come to church on Sunday and DID!!!! She hasn't been able to come since March so we were leaping for joy!

Saturday, we headed to our farthest area, Bagacay, where there are a lot of recent converts. No big deal we walked like a football field plus through rice fields, through the woods, over some rivers, and banana trees to get there (: I loved it! We were able to teach 3 of the recent converts out there and get back in time for a surprise lunch Sister Salamat and Sister Salima at Graceland. They bought me a cake roll and we all loved our "sisters" lunch. I love those Sisters so much! I'm really going to miss them! We then went to the baptism for a less active member’s daughter. She just turned out, but her grandparents, and aunt and uncle are active and she is at church with them every Sunday, so she was able to be baptized with some of the Elders investigators. The girl’s mother, who is not a member, came, and we were so excited! I have gotten super close to her these past few weeks, and we are always laughing! She reminds me of my mom (: always doing so much for her children, while laughing and smiling. After the baptism, we worked with two sisters in the ward, and were able to go teach some of our investigators. I felt the Spirit so strong when we were teaching one of them, Hannah. I was teaching her about Joseph Smith, and the words were all just flowing out of mouth so fast and when I recited the first vision and testified of it, I was tearing up, and she was too. The Spirit was so unbelievably strong. I know with my whole heart that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, and through him, God restored His true church. We then were able to teach again one of our investigators, Doris, which we haven't been able to teach in forever. She read Alma 5 and literally gave the most amazing explanation for what she understands, and then even applied it to herself. I wish we got to teach her more while I was here!

Sunday, BEST ONE !!!! We got to church and so many less actives came, then Elvie, one of our investigators with polio came! She brought her 3 boys, one being 4 months old, and it was so great! Then, Cynthia and Reynan and their 3 little ones all came! A family at church!!!! I love teaching families! Then surprise we had 2 investigators come we haven't been able to teach in a while either, then Jl's family (Jl was the one baptized last week), mom and dad (who is a member) came! It has been a while since he has! Pretty much we were so happy! All the sacrifices, hard work, and efforts finally showed forth some fruit! I bore my testimony during sacrament meeting, and said some good byes, then as we were walking home we saw Joven, Camella (a less actives), husband in his tricee and he told us Sister Camella had her baby, so he drove us to the infirmary and we got to see her and the baby! It is a little baby boy (: He was so cut, wish I could have held him... when I come back (: afterwards we ate lunch... Sister Salamat made us spicy noodles that she makes in Pakistan.. soo good! Then back to the church for a meeting, and I got to see the Baer family (the family in my first area, Liezel)! They bought me sugared pili-nuts! They are so sweet! I got to go to their house to say goodbye today! Pretty much I am so filled with joy! It was the best day, even when it started POURING rain, and we were soaked, we were able to teach Elvie, and she said she wants to go to church the rest of her life, she felt so happy there, then Cynthia and Reynan and we reviewed the Restoration with them. Brother said that they are looking for eternal life, and I started crying! I feel no one says that these days. As a father who is searching for the important things, with an eternal perspective... ahhh I love them. They accepted a baptismal date also, and I am so excited to keep hearing about their progression.

This has been the best week! I am going to miss Sister Adkins. We have gotten so close, and she has helped me so much in this last part of my mission. We really have noticed the growth in each other from the MTC to now. I have learned so much here on my mission, but I know God is not finished with me yet. I still have much refinement, which is the beauty of the Gospel. Elder Gong said, "We can gratefully accept, as God’s sons and daughters, that we are His greatest handiwork, even though we are still a work in progress.". I love this Gospel and I am grateful for all it has helped me become. I hope you all are ready for some tears of joy when I come home! Can’t wait to see all of you, (and for those on missions, can’t wait to keep emailing (: ) Love you all so much! The Church is true (:  xoxox

July 21st, 2014 Typhoon Glenda - Life throws us challenges, storms and we need to make sure we are spiritually ready of our shallow roots and thin branches wont last.

Well this has been quite a week for the books! We were hit with a signal number 3 typhoon named Glenda last Tuesday and have been helping people recover from it. We were on lock down all of Tuesday and the bagyo (storm) started in the afternoon. We sang hymns by candlelight to get our minds off of the loudness of the storm around us. Part of the roof in our back porch flew off, and it rained a lot, but the worst was the wind. There are so many HUGE trees all over the place. Kids are playing all over the trees and some houses have been completely destroyed. We went to several less actives house and investigators and their house are either gone, or falling apart. It has been so sad to see, but when they are all wearing smiles, we don't really focus on the bad. Seriously I love Filipinos and their positively. They seriously just pick up the branches and start to build their homes again. We also had the highest church attendance in a while.. Which we thought it would be low! And our baptism on Saturday still happened. 

After Tuesday, (the typhoon), we were able to go out after about 4 pm and go help people clean up some of the debris. We had no cell phone signal from Tuesday night until Saturday night so we didn't know if we were allowed to leave or what not, but we had our landlord ask the Zone Leaders who live in one of her other apartments in another area if we could go and they cleared us to go. We came back before dark (there is no electricity and won't be for about a month of more) and have been doing everything at night by candlelight.

Thursday, we were supposed to have district meeting but it was canceled and we were able to go out and work instead. We had our practice interview with JL for his baptism and he did great, then we were able to go and check the damage in our other areas. It is quite weird to be stepping over power lines and trees. All the banana trees are down, I have yet to see one that survived since they are so light. We have been all getting really close at night since we have to come in and study. I have learned how to thread hair from Sister Salamat, I guess everyone does that in Pakistan, and we have found some big spiders in our bathroom, washed laundry.. Yeah pretty much it has been soooo hard to have to come in so early, but we have been getting letters written and all of our studies extend to longer. We are being as productive as we can be! 

Friday morning, Sister Adkins and I had walked by a house the day before that looked like it needed some real help, even though it was on the other side of the street it was in the area of the other Sisters, we offered to help them, so we did with the other Sisters. We helped clean up the outside, and inside of their house. Their roof had partially been removed so there was a ton of debris everywhere, but it looked so much better after we had all left. They said they would love to take the lessons and would try to come to church. That night JL passed his interview, but the District leader wanted him to watch the Restoration movie to better understand Joseph Smith so we went to Biggs' a restaurant with a generator and watched the Restoration haha. Never thought I would teach a lesson there.

The next day was his baptism and the font took some time to fill but it was a beautiful service and the Spirit was so strong. I am so happy for him and his mom, who is not a member came to church and we were able to teach her for the first time! The gospel really opens hearts of people! She used to be taught by the missionaries, but had stopped and was not wanting to be taught for some time, but now she does again (: That night we were also able to teach Grace. Her husband is an inactive member and they are not married yet. The missionaries had stopped teaching her but we decided to start again and she came to church on Sunday (: She knows the Book of Mormon is true and really wants to be baptized, but they have no money to pay for the papers to get married, but we are going to help them save for it and hopefully by the end of this year it can happen. 

Sunday was a good one, even though it was hot with no aircon, or lights we had 169 people at church! It was awesome! JL received the Gift of the Holy Ghost and he was beaming. He is such an awesome kid, and I am grateful his baptism has helped his family all come closer to together. We had a Ward Council meeting and we had a ton of avocados given to us so we made guacamole and brought it. They all loved it. They don't know what it is here, and they use avocados as dessert. It was fun, to see their reactions to it. 

This has week has been crazy and it has made me realize how grateful I am for the little things like cell phone coverage, electricity, fridges, and the little things we often don't realize we depend on. But I am also so very grateful for the lessons I have learned. Life throws us challenges, storms and we need to make sure we are spiritually ready of our shallow roots and thin branches won’t last. I am so blessed and grateful my mission has helped me deepen my roots in the Gospel and build a stronger foundation on the things I do know. I love this Gospel, I love my family, and I am grateful that we are still okay and surviving over here in the Bicol region. I love you all so much and I will see you all before we know it! xoxoxox

      

Mom's Note - Vanessa returns home on July 31st, she has only a few days left to help clean up after the Typhoon. Glad she is safe, please pray for the Philippines. Thanks :)

Downed Typhoon Tree

July 14th, 2014 - In order to become like Him, we have to be willing to change our hearts

Well it has been the week of birthdays! We celebrated Sister Adkins birthday, and Sister Salimas, then our less active members birthday sunod sunod (back to back). It has been a good week and SURPRISE.. We have a baptism on Saturday.. and we found out this week (: I will explain later haha

So for starters, we had an interesting Monday, where we were rejected tons, and all we could do was laugh it off. The family literally hid from us, sent the Tatay out, and had him try to awkwardly shoo us away... It is kind of hard to explain haha, but back to back we were punted and rejected, but I am grateful we keep on keeping on (:

Tuesday, AMAZING day! Exchanges with Sister Salamat. I live with her and her companion on Goa and she is from Pakistan. She has been in the Philippines for about 4 weeks and is learning English and Tagalog. I seriously love this girl so much! She is so positive even though she has been struggling. I cannot imagine having to learn so much all at once, but I have seen the Lord helping her so much. When we taught in the morning we went and found a former investigator. I don't know why the missionaries stopped teaching her, but she had been taught so much. She told us how when her daughter was sick, the Elders came to give her a blessing and she got better right away (: It was a great lesson, and the we went tracting, and met this woman who is great friends with a member and had a stroke a few years ago. She was so nice, and then her friend came into the room. We started testifying of the Restoration, and the one friend started sobbing and saying how she has been so sick, and financially struggling, and everything is piling up.. Sister Salamat bore her testimony of God’s love for all of us, and the Spirit was so strong in the room, we were all crying. Then we invited her friend to kneel and pray, and all of us were crying even more. It was as if there was a blanket of love around all of us, and I did not want to leave. I seriously know that the most important language I must speak on my  mission is the Language of the Spirit, it overcomes any barrier, and is what truly converts. Then that night we found more formers, and had some great success and then we had a dinner appointment/lesson at an investigators house. Taught them how to do family history and we filled out pedigree charts.. I cannot wait to work more on family history (:

Wednesday, was Sister Adkins birthday. In the morning we went and talked with Barnagays offering to help with events, or activities they have, then I felt prompted to go give a pamphlet to this random security guard at a radio station. He was so receptive, and as we were walking away he right away was reading the pamphlet. We plan on going back to him (: Then we went to lunch with the Higleys. Emma is a sister of a ton of members here and they are visiting from West Jordan,UT.. Yeah they live by the McGraths a little i found out. But anyways Emma’s son Tyler just got back from his mission and they want him to baptize his cousin, JL, who is 9 years old. He always comes to church and Primary, and they are here until the 22nd of July, so JL is getting baptized this Saturday and we had it cleared by our Mission President that he could. So we have been visiting him every day to get him ready. He is soo cute! Our first lesson he cried when we sang I am a Child of God. We are excited for their family (: Then later that day we were able to find more former investigators. One family, the father has been to church so many times and was so close to baptism then he moved away for work. I love looking for former investigators, because they already have a base of the church and have heard some of the lessons before.

Thursday, we had one lesson with one of our progressing families and I was teaching how God has given us agency, and the mother said.. I have chosen Born Again.. it about ripped our hearts out, and Sister Adkins and I looked at each other and were silent for some time, then we felt to teach about the process of baptism, with the right authority like in 3 Nephi.. The Spirit was so strong and the investigators told us we can keep coming, and they want to learn more (: I love promptings, and the truth. I have come to realize so much the power of the Priesthood, and without it we couldn't be saved.

Friday we taught a lesson at the door of a less active teenager, who is searching for the truth. He is almost running from it to have something big happen so he will have no doubt it is true. So often people think conversion is a big time event, when an angel will appear to you, but for me, and most people, it’s through small and simple things that we come to know the truth. It was a powerful lesson and he has so many questions. We invited him to kneel and pray to know the truth. We felt the Spirit so strong, and he said he didn't. It was so hard to help him understand it, but we came to understand that he needs to continue and restart his reading, prayers, and going to church.

Saturday, we went to one of our far areas I have never been to, and it was beautiful! I am really going to miss the beauty of the Philippines! The palm trees, coconuts, bananas left and right... rice fields... i am so lucky I am serving here (:

We were searching for a referral later in the day and met this man who is a  teacher at the college.. He was speaking English to us, and said we could come back and teach his family that night. We did, and the Nanay, and all 6 children were ready to listen to us! Then the lightning storm started, and we saw the lightning strike right in front of their house, and the power went out.. we were a little scared just because we were pushing it close to curfew and had to catch the bus home, but Brother has so many questions about the rock on which Christ's church is built... and much more, but it was great and we are excited to go back to them (:

Sunday, church was great, has some meetings where we talked about our church tour coming up on July 26, then we did splits and I worked with Lherna. We taught some of the recent converts, and I got some buko (coconut) out of a tree with a bamboo pole and a knife at the end of it (: Then we found some less actives and they haven't had missionaries visit them since 2012. Glad we found them (:

I seriously have been reflecting so much this week on the growth I have seen in myself, and it is so much! I am still myself, but so much better, refined, and closer to my Savior. I want more than anything to do family history work right when I get back, and share with everyone! I love this Gospel. I always have, it’s just more engrained into me now. I hope all of you let the Lord change you. In order to become like Him, we have to be willing to change our hearts. I still have so much to work on, but I am loving this time I focus on the change in others and in myself. Love you all so much (: xoxox

Sis. Webster and Sis. Adkins, both from Spokane,WA

July 7th, 2014 Remember through small and simple things, great things will come to pass

This has been a busy week, and it is crazy to think that this is the week we went to Manila. It feels like 3 weeks ago. When we were in Manila for fingerprinting and for my visa we all were so excited our hotel room had carpet and aircon, but by the end of the evening we had to turn it down and I was frozen wrapped up in a blanket haha. We were there for less than 24 hours, but it was good, and I got to catch up with Sister Barlow (my follow up companion), Sister Horst, and Sister Taylor (MTC batch). We got to hear each other’s mission stories and all the amazing things we have seen on our missions.

Right when I got back, we had exchanges with the Naga 3A Sisters. I worked with Sister Stettler. She is friend with Bree Ann Fausett. I told her Bree is getting married and she was really excited for her. She said Bree went to her farewell! Small world. I forgot how we connected the dots, but we somehow did (: We had some really neat lessons and at on appointment we were able to teach a whole family outside of their home. They were so interested and I am excited to hear more about the following visits.

Wednesday, we had Missionary Leadership Council. It was a great council and we really discussed what more we can do for the missionaries to be more exactly obedient. We were told, "Exact obedience needs to be a culture". We have so many different cultures of missionaries serving here, but one we all need to adopt is the culture of exact obedience. There is no other way to truly see miracles as a missionary. I have come to realize that in its fullness here on the mission. We must also be obedient to Gods commandments in order to receive any blessing.

Thursday was a funny one. This cute little 3 year old, Leah, got attached to Sister Adkins, and wouldn't let us leave the area. She screamed, cried, and we could hear her all the way past the terminal which is by their house. She is adorable, and loved holding her hand! We both love the children here so much! WE had been able to teach Leah's parents, and they have been reading in the Book of Mormon. They both told us they are looking for the truth, and we just smiled and told them they are close to finding it (: I love meeting people who the Lord has prepared so much to hear the Gospel. We also were able to teach a less actives husband who said he wants to be baptized. They are not married yet, but are going to be in December. The same less active, came to church yesterday and bore her testimony (: She is about to have a baby, and literally such an amazing woman. I look up to her so much. We walked by her house Saturday and she was chopping wood. she is 9 months pregnant, so we stopped her and did the rest for her (:

Friday, we got to teach one of our favorite families again, and they are slowly progressing. They have been praying to know the truth, and every time the mother talks about it she looks like she is about to cry... she said she felt it’s true. Step by step (:

Overall, on Friday, and Saturday we have been able to teach so many families. It has been our focus and even if the progression is slower paced, I know it will make for more of a lasting conversion, and will lead to families being sealed in the temple (:

I am grateful the time really is not passing by so fast, and I'm still able to keep serving and make a contribution to the Goa 1st Ward. We have had challenges with Investigators Attending Sacrament, and we have been slightly bummed these past few weeks, but we keep on trying out best, and knowing that in the end it is their agency to come or not to come to church. We are going to continue being bold in our invitations and help them understand the commandment.

I have really come to realize this is not my time, this is the Lords time. I read an awesome article this week in the newest Liahona about the Book of Mormon and how it is the instrument in the Gathering of Israel, and the preparation for the Second Coming. I am so blessed to be an instrument in the gathering, and help lead God's children back to His fold. Of course I am excited to go home, and start a new phase of missionary work there, but I will not let that in any way effect the work I still have to do here. I love my mission and I am gonna end it right (:

I love all of you, and I am so blessed to be a part of the hastening of the work here in Goa. Keep sharing your testimony and remember through small and simple things, great things will come to pass (: xoxoxx

June 30th, 2014 - I am beaming right now with happiness

This week has been an eventful one. I feel it has been so fast, but also so long.
Monday was fiesta, and we faced the challenge of being in Centro with all the people, but we made it, and enjoyed seeing all the parades and dance competitions they had going on. We taught one of our new families we have been teaching, and the mother said she felt President Monson is a true prophet and we have living prophets today. It just makes sense! Then we taught a mother the night she was about to go into labor. Not gonna lie if I was about to give birth, and I was waiting for my husband to come home, I don't know if I would want the missionaries teaching me, but she wanted us to and we shared with her about prayers and encouraged her to pray before they left for the hospital. (We saw her baby this week, a baby boy, sooo cute (:.. I swear half the people we teach are pregnant or have new born babies).

Tuesday, We had exchanges with the Tigaon Sisters, I worked with Sister Moulton, and I was so grateful to work with her. She is from Maryland and reminds me so much of Sister Emily Culp it is crazy! I thoroughly enjoyed myself that day and we saw so many awesome miracles and the Spirit was very strong. I feel all the people we taught had done their commitments, and had noticed the difference in their lives.  

Wednesday, We had exchanges with the Lagonoy 2B Sisters. I worked with Sister Alitini in my second area (:  I was able to go back and see so many people! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was there! One of the nanays squealed, and jumped, and cried when she saw me! I was so happy to see her too (picture attached is with her)! Even though I was only there for 6 weeks, I seriously loved that area! I got to visit with our recent converts there. ahhh so happy to see them (: They have been having some trials and haven't been able to go to church for a few weeks, but we helped them realize all the growth they have had and how the Lord has given them so much more now. They went to church yesterday! I know the Lord called me to Goa 1st not just for the people here in the ward, but the sisters we work with, and the other area/members I worked with previously. I was so blessed to be able to go back there (:

Thursday we were locked out of the church for District Meeting, so we had out meeting at Biggs restaurant hahah. They have a conference room upstairs, but it was just funny having it there, then we had to all eat there. I order Filipino food now at restaurants haha I'd rather have laing (a dish here) and rice, than a burger.

We taught Lisa that day, and she reminds me so much of Hermina from Nabua. She said she feels we fell from heaven and she hasn't gone to church in 8 years and hasn't felt the desire to, but now she does (: I really like teaching her!

Friday, we decide to fast, and let me tell you, so many blessings! Found a less active, taught powerfully about the Book of Mormon, finally got to contact this amazing family Sister Adkins met in a tricee, and we just felt the Spirit so much!
Sunday, I was able to see two of the young men we started to teach in Goa 2nd and they were baptized in December. Attached is a photo them and some of the youth from Goa 2nd ward. I seriously was so happy to see them!

I have noticed how hard Satan works on the missionaries closer to going home, and how exhausted my body is, but I know I must keep giving my all up until the moment they tell me to take off my name tag, and that starts a whole new type of missionary work for me. I have been making plans to reactivate family members, give Book of Mormon to friends, and neighbors, and to continue rising my warning voice to all who will listen. I really feel I have let my mission change me and I am excited to apply it when I do go home.

I just love missions! They seriously are the best. It’s so hard to explain the happiness we feel, but just so you know I feel like I am beaming right now with happiness. We have had a hard time getting investigators to church and we are going to work so hard, but I have just come to realize so much I have to find happiness in the little things. The fact that someone read a verse is one step towards conversion. They prayed to know, another step.. The Gospel is something they have to take in, accept, and live. It’s not easy, nor is it easy for me, or any member of the church, but we must do it. I always have said, the hardest things in life are the most worth it. It’s hard to walk to straight and narrow path, but if we do, and we endure it well, and, if we keep His commandments and endure to the end we shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God (D&C14:7). I love this Gospel. Endure Brothers and Sisters and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and we shall all be able to qualify for eternal life! Have a good week!
xoxoxox
Sister Webster

June 23rd, 2014 Back to where I started...... GOA

DRUM ROLLLLLLLLLLL

My new area is.......       GOA!!!!!!!!
Back to my first area! with.... SISTER ADKINS! (from Spokane and same district in the MTC)

My first area was Goa 2nd Ward, and now I am in Goa 1st Ward, but I had met many of the members last year when I was here. I have also seen so many of the members from my first area! We were running this morning and I saw Sister Mayeen, she jumped and squealed when she saw me! I was so happy! I seriously have seen about 6 people just today from the Goa 2nd Ward! I got to see Liezel Baer yesterday... ahhh made my day (:

Being in my first area again has helped me reflect so much on my life as a missionary. I always felt, or wondered if I had made a difference in my first area, with the language barrier, and such, but the Lord qualified me last year for the calling of a missionary, and He is qualifying me to be a Sister Training Leader here in Goa. I am excited to be able to work with many of the same Sisters again. I just feel so much right now this is where I am supposed to be. I know this was so inspired! I also am so grateful that Sister Adkins is my companion! Her and I are from the same stake, and were in the same district in the MTC. I am learning a lot about myself, and I am seeing how much I have changed since I was here last year.

We did a 5 K race on Saturday that the Pulis officers and Firefighters put on. It started at 5:30, and went until about 7:30! We found a potential investigator, a less active, and offered to volunteer clean up with the Pulis and Fire station. I am so glad we did, and it was fun too! We jogged, talked, OYMed, and enjoyed the run. It was majority uphill and now my legs are killing, but Sister Adkins and I have been running every morning, so I am getting more in shape (:
We have been tracting a ton this week, and I am so grateful for my experiences in Nabua, because it more fully prepared me to come back here and get the work hastening one step at a time. I think coming from a group too I have such a positive perspective here, because the church is much more established here and members work with us all the time. In fact we did splits yesterday and I worked with a Sister preparing to go on a mission and so did Sister Adkins. We have been focusing a lot on families and that is our vision for this transfer and for Goa, to complete families, get people married, and sealed in the temple. We have a lot of less active, part member families we are working with, but we are finding the right balance for focusing on less actives and finding new investigators.
We have one new investigator whose brother was baptized last year, who we met this week and she wants to be baptized! We set a date for July 26, and she came to church on Sunday. She is so ready and the Lord placed her right in our path. I feel we keep having situations like that where we keep meeting people the Lord has prepared for this time, right now. One Sister we met had already been taught by the missionaries, but Sister Adkins found her two weeks ago. She has a Book of Mormon, and really is so curious. We taught her from Alma 11 about the Resurrections and she said, "Ganoon ba?", meaning "like that really?" (poor translation, but around those lines hahaha ). She is awesome!
Pretty much I am so happy here. The new Sister missionary in the mission is Sister Salamat, from Pakistan, and we are living with here. I love her so much. She is just learning English, and Tagalog, so we sign a lot of stuff, but she inspires me so much! She has been through so much in her life, and even to just to be able to come on a mission. I love the cultural diversity I have been able to have on my mission!
But, all in all, I am so happy. I have been reading Jesus the Christ the past few weeks and I am loving it! I am learning so much about the birth of Christ, and the role Mary, John the Baptist, and many other people had in Christ's life. I know this is Christ's church here on the earth. I know He loves us so much, and wants nothing more than for us to return to Him, and our Fathers kingdom. Make each day a better day, and know I love you all (:
Love Sister Webster

June 16th, 2014 The worth of souls is great in the sight of God; Sad to leave Nabua

Well Brothers, and Sisters, its official, I am being transferred from the best city in the Philippines, Nabua. I have been here since January and I love this place so much! I seriously feel I know so many people here, the area has progressed so much, and I have witnessed so many miracles here. I surprising have not cried too much, except last night at the Antonio family's house. Believe it or not, I don't cry as much as I use to haha (for those of you who know me... I am known for always crying haha). But seriously this place has been made a sacred place for me. I have grown more in this area, than any other area. I have felt so much closer to my Savior, because I was able to serve here. I am not going to lie, it was so hard at first, and it still is a challenge, but the Lord has molded, and shaped me so much here, and I will be forever grateful for this small providence town in the Philippines, and the person the Lord helped me become while I was here.

This week has been a good one, and has been so nice since we didn't have any exchanges, we were able to work in our area everyday!

On Tuesday we were able to contact a mother I had spoken with at one of our service projects. She welcomed us in right away and we had an amazing conversation about families. Her son has some disabilities, and she shared with us how he has made their family so much stronger and really is what holds them together. Many families here have children with disabilities, and I have such a testimony that the Lord places His special children in families to strengthen them.

Wednesday, we went to look for a referral, ended up finding her cousin, but it was where the Lord needed us to go! She is awesome, and the hardest working mother I have met. She works out in the fields, does massage therapy on the side, and sells the food they grow in their yard. People here amaze me! I wish more people in America (myself included), were so self-reliant and hardworking like the Filipino people. Later in the afternoon, we decide to go and tract in a new area we have never been, and ended up going down the wrong road to return to one of our areas, but we were led where we needed to be. We met a woman who lost her husband in February, and with the loss of Sister Alibogha's brother two weeks ago we have been studying the Plan of Salvation so much. We all teared up as we taught her from the beginning all the way to eternal life and the Celestial Kingdom. I felt the Spirit testify to me so strongly that the Plan of Salvation is true. We know where we came from, and where we are going, and what we need to do to gain eternal life. I love the knowledge God has given us through the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. We do not need to be people wandering to and fro wondering where to go. We have so much to help us! She found so much comfort from the message, and I did too (:

Thursday, we tried a new finding method we thought of, showing the Restoration video in the first lesson. We have been trying to be creative and trying different approaches. It was neat. We watched it with some college age students, and they seemed to enjoy. They were able to relate to Joseph Smith and how he searched for the truth. Then, we watched it with one of our investigators, and she cried. She had a baptismal date before, but her family discouraged her from it, and said she shouldn't. She really knows it’s true. I hope we can help them realize this is the truth, and all of them and come to know the truth. I have come to realize so much that we HAVE to teach families. When families are converted, they are more likely to stay in the church.

Friday, we had an FHE with Almazen family! I love them! I attached a photo of it!
Then we were able to teach Alvin and Sheryl, and Sheryl told us God answered her prayer and she knows Joseph Smith is a Prophet. She said while she was praying she asked and right away she felt as if there was cool air around her and it startled her. The Spirit speaks to people in many ways.

Saturday, we went back to the one investigator who read until Alma last week, yeah she is in 3 Nephi 24.. almost done! She is awesome! She highlighted 3 Nephi 11 and said she felt so good while reading that chapter (: I love the power of the Book of Mormon. Then we had District Conference Part 1, and Hermina came! It was in Iriga, which is a distance to go, but she did!

The following day was District Conference in which Elder Quentin L. Cook was broadcasted in with Sister McConkie and Bishop Davies. It was really good, anddddddd Alvin, Sheryl, Twinkle, and their 3 girls, and Hermina came! (: Then 2 of our recent converts! They came to Iriga! It was sooooo good, and we were able to show them the baptismal font there. They are really excited for their baptism and keep working towards it to be ready! I told them, when they are sealed in the temple one day, i will try to make it back! I love this work! Especially working with families!

I am really going to miss this area, but I know the Lord has something in store for me somewhere else. I love the Philippines, and I am so blessed to be serving here. Read your scriptures everyone and know that the Lord is always there for us. I love D&C 18:10-16.. "The worth of souls is great in the sight of God " (: