Fun trips ahead!!

Well family, this past week has been a fantastic one! Now that we are almost finished with visiting all of the wards in Sweden, president felt impressed to go to the ysa centers and give speeches there and yes, he wanted us with on that. I think these trips have prepared me so much for the future. How to be a member missionary, being a good home teacher, using the gift of discernment with those you come in contact with and so forth... We first visited the Göteborg ysa center, then took a bus over to the city of jönköping. We then took a train down to Lund and it was a really amazing opportunity to meet those that I have come in contact with from before. So the branch president in växjö wants me to notify him when and if we go there! So that be will fun to see him there. We have been out of town a lot and so there hasn't been any time to find and teach in Stockholm. But when we went down to Lund we found this really cool student who is from south Africa and she was sooo excited to be apart of the ysa center and to learn more from the missionaries there. She was just all over the place and she took the initiative to find out where the church is, when the center is open, what our number was... She was awesome. So at the beginning of this past week we took a trip to norrland. The first visit there was the first visit in 32 that the branch president thought it was canceled. The missionaries didn't communicate with us so when the plane landed I called the missionaries and asked them if everything was in order for translation and songs and prayers and things and they said.... "you're kidding me right?" I told them how serious I was and they didn't believe me so I told them to send me the branch president's phone number... Called him and then they found out we weren't lying. So they got a long talking to by president about communication... Which reminds me of a scripture in Hebrews 12 or 13 where it talks about how doing good and communicating is a sacrifice. Pretty amazing scripture.. Just so you all know a lot of this that I am talking about Is purely the fact that I am typing on sister newell's iPad 2 right now and I love it! I was just making it work for her and it happened to be in the office so here I am! I will most likely be getting one of these when I get back... Just saying...
After our first visit in norrland we took a 3 hour bus to a place called sundsvall and that city was awesome! I got to spend a hole day contacting and grafting with elder rowley! And we had a fantastic time! We found some people to come to church, set up some appointments for later in the week, and just had a good time together before the fireside that night. I love being a missionary and it seems as though I am learning soooooo much from president and sister Newell. They know so much and have so much experience they said they will give me a bunch of advice in the concluding interview. But we don't have to talk about that right now! This upcoming week we will he going to places such as visby, and Luleå. President told us that this upcoming week is transfers and since there will be 2 new assistants we will be staying in the mission home for our last week and be purely proselyting missionaries! Yay!

I love you all, it was so nice to hear from all who wrote me!
Love,
Elder Webster

YSA Press

Hejsan!

This week has been fantastic! I am now sitting at the institute center in Göteborg because we are having a YSA fireside tonight with the Young Single Adults.But first, investigators. For the little time we have had to be in our areas the Lord has continued to bless us with people to teach. Steffany wasn't able to come to church, but the week before she brought her sister, but she just needs to meet with us and we are hoping to see her baptized soon. Johan was interesting, he was very set for baptism and we acutally had an amazing lesson with him. He expressed that his deepest desire was to have a family settled down and a joyful life together with them. We were able to bare strong testimony of the temple and how the temple could help him reach his greatest desire. We outlined what else we needed to and teach before he could be baptized and he was good with it all except Tithing, he tells us that he is very spiritual and he didn't understand the need to belong to a single church. And so after that teach he told us that he was going to think it over, talk to his friend, and then talk with us this saturday (because we will be back in town on saturday). So hopes and prayers are with him! The other day we went to a new area of stockholm where we hadn't contacted in before. And we found this man from Congo. His name was Albert. We only had a few hours to proselyte so we were hoping to get somweone into the center to teach. And he was the man! Albert, as we talked on the way to the Center we realized that it was FHE and that other YSAs would be there. He told me that he liked singing and he enjoyed singing in the Gospel choir. On the way there, he actually sang me a song. It was quite uplifting actually. As we walked into the FHE at the center we were there half way through the lesson. Played a name game and then after, for treats he played the guitar and sang for all of us! I loved it because he was so into it and comfortable with the environment! We set up to meet him on saturday and he could very much be baptized! Last saturday we went to Gävle for a fireside and there happened to be a baptism on that day as well! And so that was an amazing experience, a son baptized his father! Also, my son (Elder Stoddard) is in one of my old areas (Växjö) and he called me up one day and told me that the 3 kids of a part member family I had worked with were being the taught the lessons and decided to be baptized! That was so good to hear! On sunday, we were mainly in Göteborg. We started out with a combined Priesthood/relief society meeting in Kungsbacka. And then we went to Västra Frölunda (the biggest ward in the Göteborg stake) and that was amazing. That ward is on FIRE! Then we went up to Trollhättan for a fireside there. It was over-all amazing. My companion got permission to attend an old investigator's wedding and he took with him another elder in the Zone who also taught these investigators. And so I went on a few hour contacting time with another elder in the Zone. We found some great people. We found this swedish woman who was a part of a church and wasn't so sure about the Book of Mormon... had some assumptions about it so basically I told her to READ THE BOOK before she "shuts the door". She agreed to meet.. also this saturday! When elder Jorgensen got back we found this man from Peru... after agreeing to come to the center, and a five minute conversation, he told us that he had actually ben baptized into the church, his wife and children were all catholic and wanted to meet with us! It was a miracle to not only to be guided to those who will hear the gospel but to those who have HEARD and felt of it's converting power already and that they have family to join along with them! This is the greatest work!

I love you all and I am grateful for all those who wrote!

Love,

Äldste Webster

(you can delete this out) Noticing my convenient time of returning home the first real saturday that I'm back will be General Conference weekend! (crazy)... my companion and I noticed that it would be a good time to meet up and be focused... so I expect to go on a date with someone there... along with my companion and one of his dates... So we were wondering if we had to reserve tickets for that special session where grandfather speaks. And Elder Jorgensen is also wondering if I could hook him up with tickets for his family of 7 to whichever session and then 3 for the priesthood session WHEREVER in the center.

I hope you know that I am very focused when I have things to focus on! I am working hard. It's just when there is a lot of travel time and time away from investigators, thought tend to prepare for the future. But I am loving the mission and the time I have to be with the Newell's and learn so much from them!

Busy Busy

Hello my dearest family! How grateful I am to have each one of you in my life. I don't know what I would do without the love and care that each of you has had for me! I'm sorry to hear about Grandma, I found out just before sacrament meeting on sunday so it was a good time to ponder about my testimony of the Atonement and it is REAL. I had the opportunity to bear testimony with personal experience of how the Lord answers prayers! Our investigator from Peru, Steffany, told us of an experience when her Uncle had passed away and how when she prayed, got didn't give her what she wanted. But I was able to tell her sincerely on how my prayers to Heavenly Father (hoping that I could see grandma when I got home) were answered in the sense that he comforted me and told me that it was the right time and she had more work to do on the other side! I am so thankful for this Gospel. It's interesting how both of my grandma's have passed away while I have been in a foreign country. I love them both, and I am always strengthened by them knowing that they're cheering me on on the other side!

So this past week Elder Jorgensen and I have been arranging The Mission President's objective to meet all 43 units by the time we leave Sweden. He told us he wouldn't let us go until we got that done! So we have been calling every bishop and branch president in Sweden, arranging times when they won't be out of town, and getting an hour with each of the units where we will either visit them on sundays, or fireside during the week! We are about 75% done! All of July is scheduled! We will be going to Borås on July 31st so I am very excited to see the members and the converts that I love there! We also picked up the new missionaries this last week and then 2 more came on tuesday! Thomas Newell (their son) was able to fill in and go to an area for a week and be a missionary! They challenged 2 people to be baptized so that was really cool for him! The other day as we were contacting in Stockholm we ran into 2 people (at 2 different pasts of the day) that could only speak French. One man was visiting from Paris and we got his number and address so Thomas (who is going to Paris on his mission) can teach him! The next man (from Congo) who spoke French with Syster Newell and Thomas on the phone, will be meeting them at the mission home on the weekend!

On Sunday, we came to sacrament meeting where Steffany and her little sister came. She loved it because it reminded her of our church in Peru! The music was really slow (which explains why "the ward is tired" remark from our Bishop.) so that will definitely be fixed by next sunday! The investigator class was really cool because there is a new chinese convert who brought his friend to church who comes from Nanjing (the same place where Emma and Adam came from!) We also contacted a chinese family downtown so that was really cool because we called Emma and she talked to them and the family was interested because of it!

We ended up coming late to a teach with a new investigator (Joseph from Ghana) and he came late as well. Once he showed up to the YSA Center it was time for the teach with the Peruvian family! So Elder Jorgensen took the Ward Mission Leader with the family and I took Joseph into the other room! I taught him the restoration, he committed to read and pray. He told me he believed in it already. so I challenged him to baptism and he said he was excited to be baptized on August 6th and on the following day (HIS BIRTHDAY) to be confirmed. he told me that while growing up his father (a priest) would always tell him to be baptized and he always rejected it! And so he told me that now he knows the word of God better and feels ready to be baptized!

I love being in the Stockholm ward. The institute (YSA) center is an amazing place. Elder Jorgensen and I basically go up and down a main street, bring in a person to the center and teach them, and then go back up and down the street until we find another! There are so many prepared people in whatever area you are in! It's just the attitude you take with you that makes the difference!

the same night President and Syster Newell came home from Mission President's seminar, we had the Zone Leaders come to the mission home for Zone Leader Råd (council) the following day! It was amazing! We ran to a lake in the morning. Syster Newell talked about Health with Journal writing, exercising, and diet. President Newell talked about Strengthening the church and how the mission will now be giving a large focus on home Teaching and really serving the members in our ward. It is inspiring to hear the life-changing experiences that the Newells have had because of home teaching! I look forward to become a better home teacher myself. I have always looked at it as a time to share a scripture, and ask if we could help with anything. But it really is a time to help them come closer to Christ, discern needs and act upon the impressions you receive to help your families! Also, just imagining the power that will come as the missionaries, along with the members home/visit teach and discern needs and respond to their needs by charitable service.

This week has been a week of contemplation, hard work, stretching, and edifying of the Lord and I am glad to be a servant of the Lord while I am still here!

Thank you all for your love and support!

Äldste Webster

Transition COMPLETE

Wow, there has been so much happening this week! Where to start... The baptisms of Emma and Adam! It was a success! We had 2 Chinese investigators there and 1 korean father of 3 kids. They loved the service a lot. The Korean dad texted us yesterday and asked us if we had another service that he could watch! (Of course, to ourselves we thought "if it was YOURS!") So he is very positive. President Anderson had his first and last 2 baptisms while here in Sweden in the Täby chapel on the 29th of June! But as soon as we get these very positive investigators, Elder Jorgensen and I get transferred to the Stockholm (Inner-city) Ward! We are very excited to see what will be happening there. So we found out this week officially that Elder Jorgensen and I will be spending the last 6 months of our missions as companions. To change things up the assistants now serve in a different ward! So that is a good change! We met with the Bishop because that is the number 1 stop to go to when you get transferred! And it was really positive. The ward has just gotten a new bishop and ward mission leader 3 weeks ago so we thought it was an opportune time to help them carry out their vision! At first we asked him what his Vision was and he told us that the ward was very tired... and they needed some energizing into the ward. For transfers the most energized elder in the mission was sent to the ward and he was so excited to see that there would be 4 missionaries in his ward now! He also said that he wants to put a big focus on keeping new converts active and fellowshipping the investigators. We had a feeling that he was saying that to just please us. So we continued talking and eventually the conversation led to Home Teaching and rescuing the less-active and part-member families! It went so well and the bishop is REALLY excited to see what's about to happen! As soon as President Newell got here, he has changed me so much. The family is all just so spiritual! They came with their 18 yr old son Thomas! He is amazing! The first two days they wanted to bring ALL the missionaries in from Norrland and Stockholm North and South Zones and do a little conference. So that was very neat. We had a message out Moses and Joshua and how Israel was in a period of transition... and in Joshua 1:16-17

"16And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses."

We gave a little comparison to Moses as President Anderson and Joshua as President Newell! It was pretty cool actually! He is the one that will bring us to the promised land and across the river jordan! IT was awesome!

The following day we traveled to Göteborg and right after the conference I was able to baptize Kleber Fernandes Alves from Sorocaba, SP Brazil! (I think that's where Sam's mission is) MY very first in Portuguese! It was really cool actually! My whole mission as I had tried to speak portuguese, I kept blending it with Swedish. But once the baptismal service had finished I talked to a swedish man and blended in portuguese with it! Crazy how the mind works!

After this, the following week was transfers! And it went great! Elder Stoddard (my first-born in the wilderness) is now gone from the office. But we got an Elder TAK from West Bountiful in the office with us! He knows Bryson Miles! They were in the same choir together or something so that is exciting! Also... he is a U fan! You gotta love it. Speaking of which, the Newells are BIG BYU fans so that is unfortunate but I'll forgive them in the long run! Hehe

So the first night that we had to contact the in downtown stockholm we found an AMAZING PERUVIAN family (CONGRATS to B-man for serving an amazing mission! Tell him he owes me a letter! Make sure you take pictures and record his talk or something! It will be cool to hear him!) it was a mother and three daughters VERY attached to her. So we talked to them about Families and one of the daughters told us she was getting lessons from Jehovah's Witnesses and the other two were Catholic, after we got an appointment with them we found out our mission leader is from Peru as well and the mother told us that her brother was Mormon as well! Would not be surprised if this family were to join the church! So we will meet them on saturday!

There is just so much going on, but I am loving my new area, my companion, my president and the family and the WEATHER! I am so grateful to be serving the Lord at this time! It is an exciting one! I am thankful for MY family and how much all of you mean to me and the spirit that the Lord provides testifying OF families. I have felt recently of the importance of families for the swedish people. There are so many that are broken up, and it is because of the lack of living the Gospel in their lives!

Anywho,

I love you all! Upcoming this week: President & sister Newell head to Germany for the weekend, and then Zone Leader Council and the following week is Zone Conferences. After that, President Newell wants to embark on the journey of visiting all 40+ units in Sweden BEFORE we go home. Yikes! Keeping Busy! Effectively too...

Love,

Äldste Webster