Sister Webb in Hong Kong: And She's Off . . .

After a whirlwind weekend of so many friends & family coming to support us, an amazing talk on the Book of Mormon given by Amanda at her farewell, and lots of teary eyes in the Webb Family, SISTER WEBB is at the Provo MTC beginning her amazing adventures!

Since a book of this blog will be made for Amanda when she returns home from her mission, I want to share an experience I had about a month ago.

I was upstairs in my room feeling very heavy about having another daughter leaving us for 18 months. It seems like Jessica has been gone for a really long time and I have missed her so much. I was pouring out my heart in prayer and asking for peace and comfort. I was also asking for an increase in faith and trust in a loving, all-knowing Father in Heaven. I ended my prayer and went into my closet to clean up. I opened Spotify and this song came on sung by Celtic Woman:

The Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InKbM9xpO_4

I pray you'll be our eyes

And watch us where we go

And help us to be wise

In times when we don't know

Let this be our prayer

As we go our way

Lead us to a place

Guide us with your grace

To a place were we'll be safe

I pray we'll find your light

And hold it in our hearts

When stars go out each night

Remind us where you are

Let this be our prayer

When shadows fill our day

Lead us to a place

Guide us with your grace

Give us faith so we'll be safe

We ask that life be kind

And watch us from above

We hope each soul will find

Another soul to love

Let this be our prayer

Just like every child

Needs to find a place

Guide us with your grace

Give us faith so we'll be safe

My mind was immediately taken back to spring of 2012. Rachel had just turned 12 years old and we were living in Singapore. We decided to take Jessica, Amanda & Rachel to the Hong Kong Temple for Rachel's first temple trip. We spent a wonderful week in Hong Kong! One evening Scott and I left the girls in the hotel room and wandered down to a Foot Reflexology shop. This was one of our favorite things to do in Southeast Asia! You could get the most incredible hour-long foot and leg rub for about $20USD! I distinctly remember the details of this place because as I sat back to relax, I put my earbuds in and hit a random playlist. This song, The Prayer, sung by Celtic Woman came on. I wasn't too familiar with it, but as I listened to it, I was filled with this overwhelming love and gratitude to my Heavenly Father. It was such a peaceful, loving moment for me that it caught me by surprise and I found myself in tears at the end of the song.

Return back to my closet in Eagle Mountain, Utah, December of 2016 . . . I immediately felt a peace that was indescribable and knew that Heavenly Father had given me that experience back in 2012 knowing that 4 1/2 years later He would need to recall it to my mind to help me have faith that he would indeed take care of Amanda in Hong Kong. The words of the song perfectly expressed my plea:

I pray You'll be [her] eyes, And watch [her] where she goes;

And help [her] to be wise, In times when [she] doesn't know.

I pray [she'll] find Your light, And hold it in [her] heart;

When stars go out each night, Remind [her] where You are.

I ask that life be kind, and watch [her] from above,
I hope that [she] will find, [many] souls to love.

Let this be our prayer, As we go our way.

Lead us to a place, Guide us with Your grace,

Give us faith so we'll be safe.

What a tender mercy that I will come back to often over the next 18 months! I know that our Father in Heaven loves His missionaries!! He watches over them very carefully, He protects them and He helps them in every aspect of their work and their lives!