Do You Truly BELIEVE?

This week has just been so busy!

We had an 8 hour devotional with Elder Evans this past Wednesday.  It was everything I needed and more. He talked about so many things, but the underlying point was "ASK FOR REFERRALS 100%" and that is our action plan for the rest of the year. It’s going to be INSANE! He has promised us so many things if we just ask EVERYONE for referrals.

So we did our weekly planning and made a plan to ask everyone we were meeting with for referrals . . . we weren’t expecting what happened next . . . we lost all of our investigators. We don’t even have one! NADA! I like to think of it as a clean slate . . . or plate.  Imagine you just did all this work to make food for someone, filled their plate, and then they throw it in the trash and say try again! Ouch. That hurts, but that’s where we are. So in an effort to be optimistic, we have a fresh start, a clean slate. I shed a few tears, mostly for these people I care about and wanted to badly to share the message of the Gospel with, but then I told myself to keep moving forward with faith and hope.  I don’t believe God sent me to Hong Kong to mourn over those people who aren’t ready yet.   So I stopped crying and went to a Relief Society activity. And they fed me cinnamon rolls!  It was amazing.  Yes I have the best ward ever.

So Elder Evans is an amazing man for those of you who don’t know him. He is in the Quorum of the Seventy and a member of the Asia Area Presidency.  As he talked I became very aware of ways I can improve.  He also motivated all of us and we felt so much love.  Boy is that man full of love for us, and for the Lord. This devotional will probably change me for the rest of my mission.  The enthusiasm I feel towards the next 8 months is indescribable. He has set a straight and narrow path for us on how we need to start changing and what we need to do to accomplish the goals we are setting. He also has promised if we do the one main thing he has asked us to do, our generation of missionaries will 'change the face of the China Hong Kong mission'.   If a general authority tells you that, you're going to want to listen right?  YA!

So he started off the second half of the devotional by saying, “I can feel some really discouraged hearts towards the HK missionary work in this room." Then he proceeded to the next half of his devotional and asked, "Do you BELIEVE?" Do we believe that we can find, teach and baptize converts in Hong Kong? Do we believe that there are people that God has prepared for us? . . . and so on. Overall I learned that I believe all this, but there is a BUT. You can’t fully trust God with a BUT after your testimony.   It just will NOT work! So I have a few things I need to change if I want to start seeing more miracles. I know God has people prepared. I just need to believe that!

I’m rambling a bit, so I’ll wrap it up.  I would challenge all of you by asking if you truly “BELIEVE” that God can do miracles??  Some examples of where that doubt enters are:

• ·        " I know going to Church is a commandment and will strengthen my testimony and relationship with God, but..." or
• ·        " I know the Book of Mormon is true and if I read it every day I will be more prepared to accomplish the Lord’s will and withstand the adversary, but..." or
• ·        “I love my parents and I know that when we obey them and love and respect them, God will be in the center of our home and we will have much more love and peace surrounding us, but..."

I think if we can eliminate the doubt or the “BUT” in our faith, we will see greater miracles. 

Love you all!

Love, Sister Webb

A birthday celebration for my comp, Sister Peck . . . 

Combined with a humble attempt to acknowledge Halloween:)

Yes, we made a cake for each of us!!

Our Missionary Commission

How to describe this week . . . it was kind of a blur, but this week above everything I really am grateful to be a missionary. I was tested in just about every aspect of my life this week. . . physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically.  Even though I thought I had grown into quite a nice current bush over the last 10 months, God decided He had to “prune” me way back again and help me grow just a little more straight. I actually appreciate His pruning in some ways, but I just wish I would have realized sooner that I was growing back a little crooked. I'm glad he caught me when he cut me down though.  I still cried a little because it hurt, but He was there the whole time.

I was reminded this week of the Missionary’s Commission. It a pretty bold commission, but also very humbling. God puts so much trust in his missionaries.

My Missionary Commission

I am called of God.

My authority is above that of kings of the earth.

By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is my master and He has chosen me to represent Him–to stand in His place, to say and do what He Himself would say and do if He personally were ministering to the very people to whom He has sent me.

My voice is His voice, and my acts are His acts.

My doctrine is His doctrine.

My Commission is to do what He wants done, to say what He wants said, to be a living modern witness in word and in deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous latter-day work.

How great is my calling!

-Elder Bruce R. McConkie

So anyway, I don’t have much to report this week.  We had a hard time meeting with people. They are all very busy and unavailable or they say they just don’t have a lot of interest. But we are trying, so I know that God will help us find someone. Preach my gospel and my mission call letter promises that! So just keep up the faith and don’t try to mold yourself.  Let God mold you.  It’s not worth it to be cut down over and over. But He will cut you down if he has to. My recommendation though is to just try to grow back straight (;

Last thought:  Elder Bednar reminds us, "We properly pray for the safety and success of the full-time missionaries throughout the world. And a common element in many of our prayers is a request that the missionaries will be led to individuals and families who are prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. But ultimately it is my responsibility and your responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach. Missionaries are full-time teachers; you and I are full-time finders. And you and I as lifelong missionaries should not be praying for the full-time missionaries to do our work!"

Don’t forget your job as members... it’s pretty important to us missionaries.. (: ya.. love you all!

Love Sister Webb

Making cinnamon rolls with Elder and Sister Roskelley

This is an apartment complex that we tract in

I got to play tennis with some less active members in our ward!

A beautiful evening tracting in HK

P-day at a Robot Museum with my BFF, Sister Groberg

Sister Tse in our ward Relief Society Presidency.  She is AMAZING and we love her!

Sara's Baptism & Accountability

 So for the past two transfers we have held ourselves accountable to our zone leaders and President Lam by obeying a list of mission rules.  We were sent a text every night for 12 weeks and held accountable to the following: 1) role plays 2) talking to everyone 3) asking for referrals 4) reading  the Book of Mormon 5) reading PMG 6) inviting someone to church 7) praying for baptismal dates. So this is just a few of the rules, but these specific 7 are the ones we were held accountable for. 

For 15 weeks we sent in our numbers every night.  Then this last week, as a zone leadership,  they decided to stop sending out accountability texts and have us start holding ourselves accountable.  This is the amazing part! Every Single Commitment has become habit. It is now a HABIT to do all of these things! It’s just a part of our day. This has just blown my mind, how something so simple as holding us accountable has created several really great habits for us! It just blows my mind!

This week we finally saw Sara and her son step into the waters of baptism.  All the missionaries who taught this amazing woman and her son came to support her, and about half the ward came along with our mission president and the assistants. It was such a good meeting. Sara was so happy when she got out. We had practiced beforehand a little and the Elder baptizing her had accidentally dropped her on the ground, so that frightened her a little!  But what do ya do (:??  The baptism itself was so smooth. It was really good.  

This week  I have learned a lot about unity, love, humility and patience as well.   The language is coming along and I’m grateful for that.

I was reading the "Elder Riccardi" letter this week and I love his prayer and the answer he receives at the end of his prayer.  He says this:

" For the first time in my whole mission I asked through earnest prayer for answers I deeply desired and needed, and I received an answer from the Lord...That morning I had prayed for close to 45 minutes when I decided to cease praying, still not having formally closed the prayer, just quiet in my thoughts and tears. I was having thoughts of going home, giving up. Then I heard this message: “Elder Humphrey, I am here. I know who you are. I sent you to those neighborhoods, the very ones where you experienced nothing but rejection. I prompted your changes in direction to even more difficult neighborhoods. I know where each of the elect in your area resides. I know their names. I could send you to those addresses only, and save you the time and sacrifice looking for them. BUT ELDER HUMPHREY, WHAT GOOD WOULD THAT SERVE YOU? The mission experience is to do what you are told, when you are told, to go where you are asked, and know that the blessing comes from enduring what I ask of you. This is not about you; it is about opening your mouth at all times in all places. Doing my will without thought to the end result or consequence… this is what serving a mission is."

Is this not just the most incredible experience?  I think this could represent my experience and perhaps God’s definition of a mission. You would think that if God called you to serve a mission, He would want to help you find the people He has prepared, wisely and quickly. But that’s not always the case. He needs me to change first. He needs me to trust Him first. This prayer and answer give me so much hope.  When I think God has abandoned me or led me astray, perhaps that is when he is helping me the most. Trust Him ALWAYS! He knows way more than we do.

Love you all, have a good week!

Love Sister Webb

Bus ride to the Ten Thousand Buddahs Monastery

Our Zone

Our District

The Ten Thousand Buddahs Monastery

Sara & Nico's Baptism

Yes! She's Trying Again!

This week was really good. I really just love being a missionary. It’s such a nice break away from the world (once you get focused.) Overall, this week was pretty fast.

With that said, it's been a week of growth as well!  I serve in the Buttefly Zone along with my companion and 2 Elders.  I have been in Butterfly since I landed in HK and as we've been reflecting, we've been pretty disappointed with the progress that we have made these past 9 months. I have been getting emails from all my friends out on missions, and many of them are experiencing a lot of baptisms.  We also set goals and make plans to improve, but we rarely reach our goals. It’s been really draining to watch this happen for the past 9 months.

Now everything I just said is what you would see if you only looked on the surface of our efforts here in Butterfly.  Underneath the lack of reaching goals and succeeding in numbers, the growth within us is just phenomenal. As we have watched each other grow and put our best foot forward, our testimonies have strengthened and our trust in each other and the Lord has strengthened.

Ammon says it perfectly in Alma 26:31, "31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us."

I would say this describes it perfectly. A little back ground to this story . . . In Alma 26, Ammon and his brethren were trying to preach to the Lamanites, and they just wouldn't have it.   These brothers were about to turn back and give up.  They had put their best foot forward and were not seeing any progress. They knew God was with them, but they just thought the people would never listen and be converted. When they were about to give up and turn back, the Lord says to them, "Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success." So they did and this is where I am. I feel like I finally have decided to turn back and try once again!  Yesterday that was confirmed to me in a talk I heard.  The speaker said, "and God rejoiced, saying ‘Yes! She's tying again!’" God will not tell us to just give up, even if we have tried over and over again.  He WILL ALWAYS rejoice when he sees us trying!  He is asking me this time though, to just rely on Him a little more.

Overall I know the blessing will come, and they are coming.  Some I haven't noticed yet, but as Ammon says, in Alma 26:12, “ Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." Don't forget that God is always on our side.

So we were supposed to have Sara get baptized this last Sunday, but there was a typhoon, so her baptism was moved to next week.  We were stuck inside from 7am (when we woke up) to 7:30 pm when we got the text saying the typhoon signal was done, and we could go out and get some fresh air! What a LONG DAY!  It was calls, records, records, weekly planning AGAIN, lots of cleaning, eating everything in the house, and then more records and more records! What a day! We also taught English class this week and we had a mystery night and they had to find where in the church the cookies were hidden. It was a BLAST (:

Love you all

Love Sister Webb

A delish Italian lunch after the temple

McDonalds HK now has a Tabasco Burger that's AMAZING and yes . . . Seaweed Flavor for the fries!  

Singapore Friends, Remember when they did this in Singapore??  Love it!!

Pday with the Sister . . . heading on a boat to Chueng Jay Island to explore and bike

Typhoon day . . . stuck in our flat ALL DAY trying to make good use of our time!!

More pics of Chueng Jay Island

The Mystery Night at the church for our English students . . . SO FUN!

Short letter . . . Not a lot of time!

Hello Everyone!  I'm running a little short on time, but this week was super good!  We got to go to the temple and watch general conference . . . all amazing! I've decided I HATE the word lazy. Lazy is what takes us away from things we need to be doing.   I feel like laziness is an enemy to God.  I have felt that when I go out as a missionary, I want to have an effect on others, let them see the light we have, and show a lot of love.

I loved conference and was reminded that "not even a sparrow falls to the ground without the Lord noticing".  How powerful!  We are promised that we are noticed by God. He cares and loves each of us so much.  There is a power beyond our comprehension that is eternal!  It is the Love of God!

 There was a wonderful story in the Liahona last month that talks about a Sunday school teacher doing everything she could to feed and care for the flock she was given.  If you have someone falling away, what will you do to bring them back? It really got me thinking.   How seriously do we take our callings and really learn to love those we serve?

I was able to dig deep this week and keep going when it was hard.  I feel like the Lord sees our efforts and helps us when we are trying.  He loves us so much and for that I’m so grateful.  Thanks you for your love, support and prayers!

 Love Mandy!!

Loved our time in the Temple!

Say what?

Gorgeous full moon over HK

Lots of traditional foods during this season they call the Mid-Autumn Festival!!

The STL's in our apartment making a video of how NOT to have companion study:)

We took family pictures this week and really felt the void of not having Mands with us . . . We didn't forget her altogether though:)

We Drenched Him!

Our mission president likes to use this analogy... '”Imagine yourself sitting in a chair with a little cup attached to the top of your head. Then someone starts filling it and it's just the right amount, it’s comfortable.  But then they decide you need more, so they start pouring... and keep pouring.  Then it starts to overflow and you get wet. Soon you are annoyed and frustrated because you’re getting wet. Then you get mad at the person who got you wet, so you get out of the chair and leave.”  Then he'll say, "Missionaries, DO NOT get your investigators wet!"  Well... this week we completely DRENCHED our investigator, and he was more than frustrated.  He got up out of his seat, gave us back the Book of Mormon that we gave him a few weeks ago and stomped out of the room, leaving figurative puddles and a trail of water to the front door. If you have been a missionary and experienced this before, you may know how we felt. But you will also know how much you learn from people like this. I learned SO much!!

I learned to heed the first prompting we receive. We met with this man 5 times total.  We felt prompted to drop him on the second visit, but we ignored that and continued to meet with him. Long story short, lessons repeated themselves after that and this man just wasn't ready.  God knew it and we should have listened.

The second lesson we learned was the power that a testimony, borne in the Name of Jesus Christ, can have!   If you can start a testimony by saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ" or something along those lines, you can really get the Spirit inside of these people starting to stir. This man we met with gave us 2 very great opportunities to bare such powerful testimony, and even though he denied feeling anything, we know he felt something.

God has a plan for everyone. We learned through experience that some people are only ready for the seed.  We shouldn’t give them more than their cup can comfortably take.

We also learned that God loves everyone so individually!  As this man was talking and denying everything we were saying, I just sat and listened. At first I was mad but thankfully the Spirit helped me keep my mouth shut. Then I started praying that we would know what to say, and this overwhelming love for this man consumed me. I started crying. (Boy did that scare him, he told me to stop J) I learned how God can really help us love those we are teaching, even if they hurt us.

Anyway, this week was amazing. The General Women’s Broadcast was incredible!  It was directed 100% at our investigator and she even said it herself.  She knew God was telling her she needed to make a change, a big one, and it wouldn't be easy!  She knows she needs to make it, and I am excited to help her along the way (:

Love you all TONS!

Love Sister Webb

It's the Mid-Autumn Festival in HK and there are lots of celebrations!

Our ward celebrated with FOOD!  

The members taught us how to make Soup Balls.  

This is our investigator, Echo.  She's wonderful!

Quit Worrying About It!

Hi Everyone,

Monday:

This week started with a cute older lady in our ward.  We call her Lam PaPa, and she fed us dinner.   The dinner was fine until dessert came.  The Elders, especially, had to gag it down. haha (: that was entertaining)

Tuesday:

We met again with a referral. He is an amazing man, and the Elders got him to Church. The love and warmth our ward had for him was inspiring. He has been friends with families in the ward for YEARS. He has known some of the people since they were babies. If this man gets baptized, it will be 100% because of the ward and the Spirit!

Wednesday:

Crossroads and SAM! Crossroads was fun.  We cleaned out fridges that were shipped to Africa this week. Then we came home and met Sam at the church for a meeting. This man has had such a crazy life. He is from Nepal and he is full of love for nature and photography. It's been interesting to see his slow progress as we teach him. It’s fun to see the potential in people, but then sad when they can't see it in themselves. I was also quite homesick this specific day and was just reminded over and over all day, to STOP worrying about it. I was worried about me as a companion, my future, our investigators, everything, and the rest the week God just kept reminding me, STOP worrying about it (:

Thursday:

We met up with our investigator Echo, and ended up not having enough time to teach her everything after dinner, so we scheduled her for the next day at 3... She wanted to eat outside, so we set up a little table for her (see pic below)

Friday:

3 o'clock came around and Echo didn't show up, but she called. We got talking and I have never felt the Spirit so strong over the phone. I have so much love for this woman. God has prepared her in so many ways to meet us. She described herself as a caterpillar in a cocoon.  She said she is trying and trying to escape but something is holding her in, and she feels trapped. So far nobody had taken the time to get in that cocoon with her and help her escape. Then she met us, and she expressed her gratitude to us.  She told us we have jumped into that cocoon with her, and that we are taking the time to teach her how to tear herself out. What a perfect way to describe someone who is ready to hear the gospel. This also reminded me again to stop worrying. God will take care of everything if we are doing our job.

Saturday:

We dropped an investigator because he really truly believes we are a cult!  Surprisingly, a lot of people think this.  They will say, " oooo, Mormon.." then we will say "Haih la, leih yauh mouh teng gwo?" (you've hear of us?)  They'll nod their head proudly and say, " cheh gaau", which means cult.  Then we said, " haih la, hou cheh"! (yup, so evil) NOT REALLY, BUT WE WANT TO SAY THAT SO BAD EVERYTIMEJ  We usually will just laugh and explain that we are not a cult and that we teach about Christ and the love that our Father in Heaven has for His children. We tried this over and over with this investigator, but he wouldn't believe us. What do you do? DONT worry about it! (:

Sunday:

Good day as always. We had a movie night with our investigators and some ward members. Our mission leader bought treats for us. (: YUM! We watched Legacy. . . such a good movie and it was interesting to see some investigators have compassion, empathy and appreciation for the early Saints who were thrown out of their homes for being Mormon. I love the pioneers!

Overall it’s been a good week. So much happens every week which makes time just fly! I learned a bold lesson this week. I learned that often the Holy Ghost is more anxious to help us then we are to receive help. Think about that for a minute. I know  for myself -  sometimes I cry and cry for the Holy Ghost to help me, and if I'm anxious enough to get on my knees and plead, then I can't imagine how anxious He must be! So just know He's always there!  If you don't feel Him, do all you can to invite Him and then once you know you’re doing your best, stop worrying about it, and He'll take care of you.   I’ve learned I can’t do anything without Him or Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ. SO don't forget them!

I also learned that my release date is June 29^th!  I can’t believe I only have about 9 months left!

Love you all!!

Sister Webb

An outdoor dinner with Echo:)

Breakfast on P-Day with a less active member and the other sister missionaries