Travel Plans

Hola Familia!

Alright everybody listen up cuz here comes thems travel plans!

I have 2 (two) flights from here to Spain. First, I leave the MTC for the airport at 5:00 AM on Tuesday. My first flight is to New York City and it leaves at 8:30 AM and I am scheduled to arrive at 3:00 PM. My next flight is to Madrid Spain and it leaves at 7:40 PM and arrives in Madrid at 9:15 the next day. So you got all that? That means I have a few hours here in Salt Lake and a few hours in New York. Those arrival and departure times are exactly what they gave me on my itinerary, however, I do not know if time changes are taken into account. They most likely are, so for example, I arrive in N.Y. at 3:00 PM EASTERN TIME. That is my theory, however I could be wrong. I hope not because that would be a long stinking flight just to get to New York! The flights are first: Delta 1795 and then Delta 126. That piece of information is mainly for Mom because I know how nervous she is about me traveling. So now mom you can stalk my airplane as I'm traveling over the ocean and make sure I arrive safely and on time.

So it turns out I do need something before I leave: I need another pair of pants! Sadly, Elder Webb has gained some weight and his pants that used to not be skinny jeans don't quite fit as well anymore, and have thus become skinny jeans. No one has told me that they're too tight, but I kind of feel as if they are; too tight for a missionary ya know? So if you could send me my other pair of pants that would be amazing!

Remember last week how I did that workshop thingy with the new missionaries? They asked me and Elder Smith to do it again... so today I'm doing the same thing! I'm super excited, it was really fun last week and I imagine it shall be so again.

Sorry I haven't sent any pictures this week or the week before, I literally haven't taken any! I don't really know what to photograph here in the MTC. I imagine I won't have that sort of problem once I'm in Spain, so just be patient and you'll all start getting pictures again.

How long is it till McKay can submit her papers? Can she turn them in any day? Tell her that I want her to just do it already so that we can both be serving that the same time! Imagine how totally cool it would be to have two missionaries from the same family, out at the SAME TIME. So amazing!

Anywho, it's good to hear that everyone is doing good. I probably won't email again before I leave, so the next time you'll hear from me is when I am in Spain. Hopefully I've given you enough information in here haha. Thanks for everything! I love you all! I'll talk to you soon.... From Spain!

con amor,

Elder Webb

Got my Visa!!

Hola familia!

So here is what happened in the meeting! I signed a document, saw my passport with the visa in it, and was instructed that I will finish my MTC time here at the Provo MTC, and fly to Spain on the 6th, as originally intended. So I should be receiving travel plans some time next week. It's a huge blessing that I was given a visa! A stinking miracle! The consul said that there were 50 missionaries approved to travel to Spain, most of which had been reassigned for quite a while. I can't believe out of all the missionaries that could have been given a visa, I was given one, when I haven't even finished my training yet! Such a huge blessing. So! next week when I get the travel plans, I'll definitely let you know what's going down!

Today, new missionaries arrived at the MTC, and tonight they all have a workshop that demonstrates the neccessity of discovering and teaching to the needs of investigators, and how to do that. The new missionaries get together in a big group of about 60 and watch a brief demonstration, and then take over. So the demonstration is this: a convert member is brought in and they portray an investigator. Two missionaries that aren't new "knock" on his door, and then proceed to teach him as if it were a normal teaching situation and no one else was in the room. The goal of those two missionaries is to discover the needs, interests, religious situation etc. of this "investigator". They do this by asking questions, and once enough information has been gathered, the instructor in charge dismisses those two missionaries and turns it over to the new missionaries to teach the investigator. Does this all make sense? So those two missionaries could be in there for 5 or 10 minutes, or 15 to 20 minutes, just depending on the kinds of questions they ask, how good those questions are, and how well they focus on the investigator.

So! The whole point of me telling you about that is because I have been selected to be one of those missionaries that starts off the discussion. Elder Smith and myself have been chosen out of all the missionaries at the MTC, to try and show how important it is to focus on the investigator, and to ask good questions, and that the first moments of teaching are crucial! So, I'm feeling a lot of responsability because of this! That's tonight at 5:30, so please pray for me and Elder Smith that we'll be able to listen to the spirit and hopefully help provide a great experience for the new missionaries on their first day!

Also, I've been called to be the district leader for the last two weeks here at the MTC. I'm not sure if it's any different from when you were here, but some of my responsabilities are getting mail every day (that's the most important one to all the other missionaries) conducting district meetings and such, and just making sure that all the missionaries in my zone are doing good. It's been kind of humbling to be the district leader because in order to do my best and serve my best, I need to have a lot of love, and that's not always the easiest thing to come by. But I'm slowly learning to have patience and to love no matter what, and I can definitely attest that that is only because the Lord is blessing me.

I did something kind of stupid yesterday. During dinner, I ate soup, and sometime during the course of my meal, I had managed to dip the corner of my suit coat in my bowl of soup without me knowing it. So because of that, I was walking around with a coat covered in suit, that was at the same time coating my pants in a nice layer of soup. Awesome. I'll be taking my soup-suit to the dry-cleaner promptly. And I will be more careful around the soup.

So that's pretty much all that happened this week! I'll let you know next week how the workshop with the new elders goes, and if I get my travel plans and what not. I love you familia!

Con amor,

Elder Webb

Meeting at the Spanish Consulate

So something funny today, after I emailed you the first time. I spoke to soon about the reassignment thing. After I went back to the residence, me and two other Spain elders in my room got paged to go to the travel office. At the travel office, they told me that we will be meeting wit the Spain Consolate on Tuesday morning. I'm not entirely sure what this means, but it in my mind, it can only be good. So I think what's happening is that I'll be interviewed or something and he'll determine whether or not I will get a visa for Spain. I don't really know! But they told me to wear a suit, be on my best behavior, and bring some ID, so that's a good sign right? So next Wednesday I'll let you know how it went and what's going to happen and all that jazzy stuff.

Well I don't have that many pictures to send cuz I didn't take that many this week. And to be honest, I can't think of anything that I need this week. What a shocker! For the first time since I've been here, I don't need you to send me a package! At least not that I can think of this moment. Just tell Rachel to write me back! And tell Taylor and Gentry that I'm working on writing their back to their letters. I love you all and it's good to hear that things are going well at home! I'll talk to you next week! Love you!

Con amor,

Shane

Elder Holland in the hiz-ouse

Yo yo familia!

How's errbody doing? So guess the heck what? Yesterday Tuesday devotional and guess who came to speak to us? Stinking Elder Holland! He surprised everyone because usually on devotional days we get a member of the 70, but he walked into the auditorium and literally every missionary shot to their feet and got dead silent at the sight of him. It was so crazy to see him walk in here! So I've heard Elder Nelson and Elder Holland speak while here at the MTC! I think I want to be a teacher here after the mish, just so that I can here the apostles speak so often!

The things that he had to say were amazing. He spoke about how incredible it is that we get to be apart of the hastening of the work. How we don't just get to talk about it, we get to be apart of it, we get to DO it! That got me super pumped to be here. There was one thing in particular that hit me the most, however. He spoke about make ourselves, the missionary, the greatest convert of our missions. That I need to be the greatest convert of my mission, and honestly that's one of the things I've wanted the most since arriving here. Except, I wasn't sure how to do that, or how to make sure that happens. Well Elder Holland answered that question for me. He said that I need to work my hardest, that I need to give all of my heart, might, mind and strength, that I need to be 100% invested in the work, and that transformation, that conversion will take place. So I realized that if I got too worried or caught up with the future, then I was going to miss everything that was going on now! And everything that I would miss everything that would ensure that my future is the one that I want, that I'm seeking after. Does that make sense? The Spirit was super strong during the devotional, and it made think that I hope I can help other people feel the Spirit in the same way. Elder Holland is such a stud! Such a huge example. He also dedicated 3 new buildings while we were there, so we had the opportunity to be apart of the dedicatory prayer, which was amazing. He asked that angles would guard all the doors of the MTC, and that made me think: I wonder if missionaries in the field have guardian angles protecting and helping them? I think it's pretty possible!

So Elder Holland was the highlight of this week. Today starts the last 3 weeks I have here at the MTC. And starting next Monday, we will be speaking spanish all day every day. And what's even crazier still is that I can actually do it! Yesterday we spent all day talking in Spanish, literally all day, and I was able to do it and get across all of my feelings and what not. That is definitely a humungous blessing from Heaven.

So I should find out sometime next week if and where I will be reassigned. I think it's pretty dang likely that I'll be reassigned, which actually gets me super excited! I get to open ANOTHER mission call, and serve my mission in two different places! I'm really excited at the idea of that. We all made guesses of where we'll be sent, so I want to hear all of your guesses! Send them back to me and I'll add them to our list.

I got letters from Gentry and Taylor! It was awesome. Thank you, you two for writing me! I wasn't intentionally trying to guilt trip you with my last email, but I'm glad it worked! Things sound like they're great for the both of them. What else is new with the fam fam?

So that was basically this week. I'll be back later, as usual, to send some pictures while I do laundry. I stinking love doing laundry, did I tell you that? I don't know why, but it's totally a stress reliever for me haha! I'll also let you know mom, if I need anything, when I send pictures. So anyway, I love you all! Keep it real fo sho!

Con amor,

Elder Webb

Teaching By The Spirit

Part of a letter Shane sent to his Mom and asked us to share;

So my companion woke up at 5 AM and started throwing up. The rules say that if you're sick AT ALL,even a little, you gotta stay in the residence. But my companion was determined to go to class anyway, even after the DL begged him to obey the rules and stay here. I knew that our teacher kick us out of class anyway, so I told him that, and that's all I said on the matter.
So we went to class! And yes the teacher asked us to leave, but he said he would allow us to teach his investigator before we left. And this is what I wanted to tell you about. Every lesson before hand have basically just been me checking things off my agenda. Not actually teaching teaching the person and teaching to their needs. And it's not like I was trying to teach that way, I just didn't understand how to do it right. Heck I still don't really understand! But it is coming, line upon line, it's coming. So anyway, I am aware that I don't teach that well, that the Spirit isn't ever guiding me much because I'm not listening, and that my lessons have lots and lots of room for improvement. So I pray for help all day, help to teach the person and not the wall. And today, something changed. Today when we taught our teacher, ( his investigator's name is Carlos), we taught HIM, and it went into his heart! I felt the Spirit in that lesson and it was strong! Mom, this was the most wonderful feeling ever! It made all of the struggles and hard times I've had so far worth it! The feeling I had during and after the lesson was amazing. Feeling the Spirit in the room, testifying to Carlos that this is true, that we are Missionaries of Jesus Christ, and that through baptism he can be blessed and happy. Feeling that was absolutely incredible! Incredible! This is why missionaries love being missionaries! They're helping people change, they're helping them be happy and they're bringing that happiness to their investigators lives! Ah it is so amazing Mom! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about seeing as you've been there.
So after our lesson our teacher gave us feedback. He was very pleased with the progress we made. He said he wanted us to write down what happened, how it made us feel, and how we think we got there. So I did that! I came to many conclusions, all of which came back to me being blessed by the Lord.
However, the biggest and most influential blessing that I received, I think, is the gift of charity. Every day for the last few days I have been finding it easier to love those around me. I am more patient and able to work better with everyone. I pray every day, multiple times, for the gift of charity. I'm realizing how selfish and impatient of a person I am. Having charity will help me to change and not have those negative attributes. I don't like being this kind of person, impatient, unloving, selfish and rude. None of that makes me feel good. I'd much rather be the person that is extremely nice and just loves everybody. I desire that so much, and I pray for help in this area every night. And now I am seeing that the Lord wants the same thing, I have aligned my will with His , and I am starting to receive blessings because of it. Being loving and nice, full of charity, is something I greatly desire because it can literally help me in all aspects of my life. It will help me be a better companion and missionary.

One Month Anniversary

Hola familia!

Well I have 23 months left. This first one absolutely flew by! I can't believe it's been a month alread and I'll be entering the field in only four more weeks! Dats KRAY! This first month has been filled with so many blessings. My spanish is right were it should be, and honestly, it's not to bad. I understand better than I speak, but that will come with practice. Learning how to teach has been more difficult that learning the language. It's so easy to go into lessons with an agenda and every intention to cross off each item on that list. I have a habit of doing that. It's hard to let go of my expectations and desires of what I want to happen, and just let the Spirit take over. Sometimes people don't need a full lesson, sometimes all they need to know is that through prayer, they can come closer to their Heavenly Father. And other times they do need a whole lesson on the Book of Mormon and where it came from and how to recieve a testimony of it. We teach based of the investigators needs, and the thing I struggle with the most is finding out what they need. I stuggle with listening to the Spirit and knowing what to say to them. This is hard stuff! But with more practice, I am slowly getting better and better. I'm grateful for all the opportunities we have to teach here in the MTC. We teach are teachers, who role play as real investigators they had on their missions, and everyone takes it very seriously, and the Spirit is always way strong, so apparently the Lord is taking it seriously too. I'm grateful for all the opportunities we have been given to teach. There's also this thing called TRC, (not sure what it stands for) but that's where actual members of the church come in and get taught by the missionaries. So it's real people, no role playing. And I absolutely love it! It's the closest thing to the real deal that we have here at the MTC, and I love talking to the members and sharing experiences with them. Most of them are RM's and have amazing stories to share. So between TRC and teaching our "investigators" (teachers) I'll hopefuly be much better at teaching by the time I enter the field.

So something interesting to know, we are on the 6 week cirriculum, but scheduled to stay for 9 weeks. So the last tree weeks will just be review, and trying to find out what works and what doesn't, so that when they have the massive influx of new missionaries starting next week, they can hopefully have all the kinks out of the cirriculum. So this week is the last week of learning anything new. Next week is start of the review period. If I was on the other schedule, I'd be entering the field next week! Super crazy! I'm really glad for the extra time to review. I need lots of help with teaching, and speaking spanish needs improvement as well.

So I got a package from you yesterday, and there were some cookies in it. Where did they come from? Those are some of the dopest cookies I've ever had! Cinnimon roll cookies?! Who on earth thought of that?? It's abslutely genius! Thank you for all the treats you include in every package.

So I'll be on again later today and send some pictures. I love you berry much! Thank you so much for everything! (I don't think I'll stop saying that my entire mission) I love you all so much! Tell everyone to follow McKay's example and write me a letter! She wrote me one and it was AMAZING! I still need to hear from Gentry and Talyor and my Dev-Babe. I love you all very much! Talk to you soon!

Con amor,

Elder Webb

This is a list of places that the Spain guys believe we will be reassigned to. What's your guess? Have everyone guess where I'm going. Add your guess in a comment!

New Years!

 Hola Famila!

Feliz Anos Nuevos!

I really honestly have no idea if that is the proper way to say 'Happy New Years', but I done did my bestest.

So yesterday was normal schedule, nothing special like on Christmas, so Tuesday includes the devotional, HOWEVER there has been an interesting development here at the

Empty Sea, which I shall get to in a moment. There was no special dinner or anything, kind of sad, but I'm over it now.

There is no new word on the whole 'Spain' situation. I put qutoes there because I'm starting to believe that this has all been some cruel joke. Nah I'm just kidding, I don't care. Honestly. I'll be 100% satisfied going absolutely anywhere, whether that's Spain, or South Salt Lake. I always keep in mind why I'm here, and who I'm here for, and neither of those reasons have anything to do with an exotic location, so I'm fine with anywhere. Rumors say though, that we should be finding out something within a week, so I'll for sure keep you updated.

So guess what went down at the MTC?! A freaking zombie apocalypse! Seriously, no joke, OVER NIGHT, a crazy nasty epidemic broke out. Flu like symptoms, the most prominent being explosive vomiting and diarrhea. Literally hundreds of missionaries came down with it. Starting around Sunday night, and getting the worse by yesterday. It's insane. They have a special area QUARANTINED for the infected, and there isn't any more room in that area, so now they're telling sick missionaries to just stay in their rooms with the doors open. The companions of the healthy ones are allowed to join another companionship so that they can go to class. They're saying that if you even feel slightly sick, to stay in. And if you've done either or the large symptoms, that you must stay in your room for at least two whole days. Nuts! Half my zone got infected, no joke, half of my zone. There are reports of the MTC sending about 120 missionaries offsite to hospitals, but I haven't had that confirmed by any official source. Still crazy though. Luckily, no one in my room got sick, and I am in the most tippity top shape. Like a leprechaun that just got off of a rainbow whistle eating a bowl of Lucky Charms. So no need to worry about me, I'm fine and I will be fine.

That's just about the craziest thing that happened this week. It feels like the MTC died. It's weird at house calm, and peaceful it is. I'm sure it'll be back to normal in no time though. So about me sending a box home, I've got a couple of things to say. 1. yes I will be sending a box home. 2. I don't really understand your directions for me as far as shipping. I address it to you, but write something like "pick up for POST MART" on it? Is that right? Does that mean I don't have to pay for the box? I'm rather confused. Perhaps you could just write me a physical letter with a piece of paper in it that has all this already written on it, so then all I have to do is tape it to the box and call it good. Yeah? Good idea? I thought so too.

Anywho, I'll be back on later today to send some pictures while I do some laundry. Tell bob that I'm going to try and write him back today, but it's going to take me a while because my spanish is awful. I love you mumsie, and everyone else that is reading this! I'm glad to hear that the new year festivities were a success, and I hope you start off the new year with great resolutions. And stick to em! You should make your first resolution this: "I resolve to fulfill all my resolutions this year." Yeah I thought it was clever too. Anywho, I'll send some pictures later! Love you all! 

Con amor,

Elder Webb 

Shane and other Elders going to Spain

Christmas at the MTC

12/26/2012

Hola familia!

I'm glad to hear that everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Mine here couldn't have been better. After Elder Nelson spoke, there was a missionary talent show, and a fireside by brother Greg Olsen. He's such a super star, and I love his paintings. He spoke to us about finding your relationship with Christ. He said that we all as mortals sort of distance ourselves from Chirst because He's perfect and devine. He argued that this has an effect on us spiritually, and that the advasary is probably quite content with us distancing ourselves from Christ for reasons like this, and I agree with brother Olsen. So he suggested that we take just 5 minutes each day to just think about Christ. Just think about what He's like, what we would say to Him if He was sitting next to us, about His ministry, anything really. Just think about Christ, and brother Olsen promised that our relationship with Him would start to become more personal. He said that he has had this kind of change come over him throughout the years of painting Christ and spending all day thinking about Him as he trys to capture the perfect image of Him. I'm going to start doing this because I think that it's sound advice. I'm guilty of distancing myself from Christ for the exact reason that brother Olsen talked about. And as a missionary, I can't afford to have any distance between me and the Savior at all. So there's my spiritual thought for the week. I will step down from my soap box now.

Mom and Bob, thank you so stinking much for the Christmas presents! They were all absolutely perfect! The mp3 player was a complete surpise and totally amazing!! I'm extrememly eager to listen to all that music now, but I have to wait till I'm in the field and it's killing me! It's okay though. I've gotten all the guys in my district to be music enthusiasts with me. I'm constantly beat boxing and everyone takes turns throwing down some sick nasty rhymes about what ever haha. I love it! and at night time before bed, me and another elder sing hymns in spanish. So I've got enough to get me by.

So guess what? The infulx of 18 and 19 year old missionaries has started. Last wednesday we recieved 700 new missionaries, and mixed in that batch were the first of the youngins'. January, however, is when they start coming in full force. The MTC will be completely at capacity by the middle of January, and most of them will be 19 year old sisters. It's crazy! This place is going to so packed, and packed with girls none the less. Time to put the blinders on and not get distracted! Es un chiste, but it's really exciting to see the Lords work hastening. It was really cool to hear the announcement when it was made, but it's even cooler to see it, to be apart of it.

I'm not sure what else you want to know. My spanish is coming along great. That isn't what I struggle with. I struggle with teaching. I don't know how to teach with the spirit. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I guess that's why I'm here right? To learn? I just need to exercise patience, and the Lord will show me how to be a good missionary. Patience is something I lack, and it's hard because I want to be a great missionary NOW, not 6 months before I come home or whatever. I know that I just need to exercise trust and faith in Christ and He'll help me. It's just easier said than done ya know?

Sorry if this was terribly long and boring. Let me know what kinds of things you want to hear from me so that I can make your email reading experience more enjoyable.

I love you all very much and I'm glad your Christmas was a good one! Don't forget to keep Christ in your thoughts and have a Happy New year!! I'll send some pictures later todaysies.

Con amor,

Elder Webb

MTC Week 2

12/19/2012

Hola familia!

So Christmas is next Tuesday, so Merry Christmas right now! Unfortunately I won't be able to call you, but you all know that.

This week was crazy stupid awesome! I've learned so much in such a short time. I started out teaching lessons last week reading straight from a script I had written, and now I'm teaching lessons striaght from the heart, no notes. It's amazing how far my spanish has come in such a short period of time! Such a massive blessing from Heavenly Father. I really want to be the best missionary I possibly can, and I guess He  does too because the blessings are just flowing without stopping! Grandpa Pier sent me a letter last week with a formula for success as a missionary. Faith + Exact Obedience + Hard Work = Miracles. I've been trying my hardest to follow that formula, and I can testify that it works. There'd be now way taht I could do this without the help of my Father in Heaven.

So I was supposed to fly to the Spain MTC a week from today, but that won't be happening now. My visa didn't clear, (no one going to Spain has their visa) so I will continue my training here in Provo until it does clear. However, I'm sure you're all aware of how many fumors fly around in here, and the big rumor for us is that between the 1st and 5th of January, visas will be handed out. So! That means, if that rumor is true, I still could be leaving pretty soon. Either way I'll be happy. I love it here so much, and I'm learning so much that I don't want to leave yet! But going to Spain would be amazing. That's a no brainer right there. So don't worry about me if you think I'm all busted up over not leaving. The scriptures mom had me read helped a lot too.

Next Tuesday is Christmas and it's going to awesome!!! Tons of musical numbers by missionaries, and a devotional by a member of the 12. Not sure who, but every Christmas before this it has been a member of the 12. I wanted audition for a musical number in the devotional, but I didn't have any musci to audition with! I thought you had packed the 'How Great Thou Art' that I sang at my farewell, but I couldn't find it anywhere. It's all good though. I think it would be a totally amazing memory to be a part of that and perform, but I also think that it will be just as an amazing memory to watch and take part that way. I'm really excited for it, the devotionals have been one of my favorite parts here, and hearing one from a member of the 12, here in person, it's going to put me on a spiritual overload! Probably not though, I don't think there is anyway I could get overloaded by the Spirit.

So something funny that happened this week. My disctirct and a couple other companionships from our zone decided to participate in what is called the "Cereal Challenge'. I'm not sure if they did this when you served, but apparently it's a really big thing here. They have tons of cereal here and they keep them in these really tall towers. There's seriously like 10 to 15 bags of cereal in these towers. So yeah. They're really big. So the challenge is your whole district has to eat one full tower in one sitting. My district has 12 guys, we're a big disctrict, and add on the missionaries from the other disctrict and we're up to about 20 missionaries total. We all grabbed 4 bowls of Frosted Flakes each and absolutely pounded through that tower. All of us had 4 bowls, and the tower was gone by the time the last missionary had gotten his 4 bowls. So we're looking at how easy this was, (before we started eating) and decide that one was too easy, and that we need to go for 2 towers! So I pound through my first 4 bowls easy, piece of cake. We then moved on to a ceral called "Blueberry Muffin Toppers" and we all grab another 4 bowls. These next four are really slow. We grabbed some paper lunch sacks because some guys were feeling like they were about to blow chunks everywhere. I manage to get through those last 4, but I'm starting to feel it hurt. Most everybody has slowed waaaay down and can barely get through another 6. So then they start recruting help from me and other missionaries that have finished. And I wans't about to let this tower dominate us, so of course I took they're remaining bowls. So in total, I ate 10 and half bowls of cereal, and I felt like crap. Seriously I think I've gained like 4 pounds and it's all in my waist haha. I have some nice love handles that I didn't have before, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was all because of that stinking cereal challenge. But we did it, we finished 2 towers of cereal in one sitting. I'll send some pcitures later today when I do my laundry.

The MTC is really crazy, lots of fun, and lots of spirit. I love it here, but I definitely want to be out in the field more than I want to be here. But not until I'm ready. I'm not sure I'll every feel fully ready though, but I'm confident that the MTC will teach me all that I need to be succesful. I love you all and I hope you have a merry Christmas! I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Con amor,

Elder Webb

MTC Week 1

12/12/2012

Hola Familia!

DON'T LOOK AT THE PICTURES UNTIL ENTIRE MESSAGE IS READ

I mostly wanted to say that too see how many of you would look at the pictures first thing. You know who you are.

So this first week has been really great, and it ended probably in the best possible way.
So! They started us teaching on the 3rd day, Friday. Our first investigators name is Carlos. He's from Mexico and doesn't speak any english. So all of our lessons are in Spanish. It's super hard, lots of broken translations and just straight up read, which is really boring for Carlos and doesn't invite the Spirit at all, but it really helps me with me Spanish! Everything I learned in high school has come back to me, and I'm understanding new concepts really easily. This a huge blessing for being missionary.

We have class three hours a day, every day, sometimes twice a day. So much class time! But I absolutely love it. I love learning new doctrine and gospel principles, and I love learning Spanish! Our schedules are pretty freaking crazy. Literally every hour from 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM is FULL. We are non stop doing something! All my friends that went on missions would always say that they have no time to write or email or anything like that, and I always thought it was garbage, just an excuse,  but they were serious! Getting up at early is starting to hit me, and the other elders in my room like to get up at 6 so I'm getting even less sleep.

So mom, now is the time you've been waiting for. My nice long list of items that I need/want sent to me :)

My scarf - it's really cold down here! My scarf should be in my big tub of yarn on the top shelf of my closet.
A small bottle of lotion - my hands are falling apart. I look like I have lepersey. I need a bottle to carry with me to class and such
Gel inserts for shoes - my other pair of shoes hurt so much to walk in! I need to be gellin' with my homie Dr. Schoells.

That's actually it. The list in my notebook is way longer, but it's filled with more stuff to tell you about than stuff to ask you for. But first, a question. Can you ask Deavan which Mormon Messages he wrote the music for? We get to watch those here and I want to watch the ones he helped out with. Also I just wanted to let you know that mom is inspired. She argued and argued with me about bringing sweat pants, I didn't want to, but she insisted I did. I eventually did just because she's my mommy, and it turns out that I ended up needing them! Haha I was so grateful she had me pack them. Thank you mother.

Okay now on to the explanation of the pictures. So today, Wednesday, me and another elder were walking from my room to his, which was down on the other end of the hallway. He blurted out randomly "I wonder if I can touch the ceiling with my head?" Now this elder is about 6'3" and he played basketball, and the ceiling was really low, AND it was those white crumbly tile ceiling pieces that they have in a lot of buildings like schools and offices. You all with me?

So I had no doubt that he could do it. He jumps and pops his head up against the ceiling, the tile moves only a little, and it looked like a piece of cake. Instantly my mind says "well if he can do it, then I GOTTA do it!" So without even thinking, I jump as hard as I can up into the ceiling. I quickly learned that I can jump a lot higher than I ever knew I could. I was moving forward, while moving up, and smacked and then scraped my forehead on the metal spacers between each tile. My forehead then began to bleed like crazy! Seriously it would not stop bleeding. It's not a deep cut or anything, so don't get worried mom. I don't need stitches or anything like that. I've got a nice fat goose egg, and a wonderful bruise, all in the middle of my forehead. And I STILL haven't come up with a good explanation for my branch president. Maybe he just wont notice...

The one picture is not too long after it happened, the other is what I will look like everyday from here on out, in my missionary clothes with this wonderful blemish adorning my face. That's Elder Kiffe in the background giving me moral support.

So that's how I ended my first week at the MTC! By injuring myself. Couldn't have been better :)

Thanks for all the letters and surprise packages! I wouldn't mind if you kept those coming. Tell me everything that's going on at home. I love you all!

Con amor,

Elder Webb