I¨m going to try this whole "subject" thing with my emails for a couple of weeks. My only fear is that I won´t be able to come up with any names. So let me explain why this email carries that title. This week was tough. As far as the numbers go, it was literally one of the worst weeks of my mission. But! The Lord was still incredibply gracious and blessed us with many miracles. Gustavo, the husband of Marisol, the recent convert of about two weeks, is actually progressing! We talked about the book of mormon with them on Saturday and he said for the first time that he was going to read it! And he came to church yesterday, after passionatley saying about four weeks ago that he would never return. The Lord is incredibly good to us. Now this part member family can become a full member family! We´re going to focus on Gustavo and help him find the desire to be baptized.
It was only frustrating because it didn´t go the way I wanted it to go. We didn´t get the kind of numbers that I wanted. Pretty selfish right? And my companion and I felt as if we had sort of lost the vision and drive we had at the beginning of our companionship. So we sat down, evaluated, set some goals, and recomitted. I´m so happy for repentance. We weren´t even doing anything wrong, it´s just that repentance covers us in more ways than one. Chist´s Atonement not only takes away the bad from me, it makes up for the rest that I lack. For instance, I want to be performing at "x" level, but only reach "x", which is much lower than where I would like to be. Through repentance, Christ and His Atonement, that gap is filled, and He takes care of the rest. Elder Patterson and I both felt really good at finding the same old fire and excited to get another chance this week. I love Heavenly Father for loving me enough to give me a second chance.
Lastly I just want to share something from my studies that I learned this week. Like you know I´ve been studying the love of God, and this week that led me to the topic of mercy. Holy shoot mercy is a wonderful thing! How comforting to know that Heavenly Father WANTS to forgive us, and that He´s not a stingy pharasee that seeks only for the fufillment of the law. As I studied I realized that the greatest kind of mercy is made manifest in repentance, and I read this scripture Alma 34:15 " 15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance." I love the imagry in there, that mecy overpowers justice (His love is more powerful than anything), that His mercy brings about the way inwhich we might change and improve and become clean and free from sin, and in the next verse is says that His mercy encircles us in the arms of saftey. I love that! I am grateful for God and His mercy, for understanding my weaknesses and not condemning me for not being perfect. I¨m striving to be more merciful like our Savior, and to show that kind of love to others. I make the same invitation to you all!
Family I love you all so much! I hope you have a great week and that you are merciful to others! Remember the words of the Savior "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Luvs!
Elder Webb
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