My Journey in Letting Go

I had the blessing of writing my mission sorry for an Early Return Missionary who is compiling mission stories and making a book. It was such a blessing to finally write out my story after the two and a half years. I know it's long but the journey had been long. My Journey in Letting Go By Kelsey Jo Webster My mission story starts back in May 2012. I was attending school at Utah State University (USU). The semester was almost over and I was trying to decide if I wanted to stay in Utah for the summer or move home. Shortly before I was to decide my grandma fell and broke her hip, and was in the hospital. This made my decision easier because I have always been close to my grandma. We shared many wonderful memories, one of which was sitting in the rocking chair and singing the Primary song, “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus”. After a month she passed away and I truly started to think about serving a mission so that I could tell others the stories of Jesus that I love to hear. During that same summer I met some wonderful friends, some of whom were return missionaries, and they all inspired me to serve a mission. They shared stories of their missions and we talked about life and the future in general over the course of the next few months. On August 4, 2012 I took some much needed solo time, in a beautiful location down by a creek, and prayed to know if I was to serve a mission. As I was praying I truly felt Heavenly Father’s arms around me and His love for me and that He was pleased with my decision to serve His children. The very next day, which happened to be a Sunday, I met with my branch president , who had only been the branch president for about three weeks, and after we had talked about the reasons that I wanted to serve a mission, to tell others about eternal families and to bring them closer to Christ, we started my papers. I was moving back to USU at the end of August so not much was done with my papers. On September 6th I truly started to work on my papers. All through the month of September I worked on my papers and all the medical stuff that needed to be done so that they could be submitted. I met with not only my bishop but also my stake president down in Logan and my mission papers were submitted on September 30th. A week later was General Conference and it was in that General Conference that President Monson announced the change of age for missionaries. I was a little discouraged when I heard this because I feared that it would affect the amount of time that it would take for my mission call to come, and boy was I right. It took a month and a week for my call to come. On November 7th, the long awaited white envelope arrived in the mail. Since I was at USU and my family was three and a half hours away I knew that I would have to wait until the weekend to open it so that my family and my closest friends could be there. I finished out the week and then traveled those three and a half hours with that white envelope on the seat next to me, talk about torture. On Saturday, November 9th, during a snow storm I opened my mission call with part of my family and some of my closest friends gathered around. When I started to read I was pretty speechless. I had been called to serve in the Zambia Lusaka Mission and I was to report to the Johannesburg, South Africa Missionary Training Center (SAMTC) on April 4, 2013. To be honest I wasn’t even sure where Zambia, Africa was, and would have never guessed that I was going to Africa. I headed back to USU on Sunday afternoon and finished off the semester and then moved home to prepare for my mission. I was set apart as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 1, 2013. The next morning I boarded a plane in Idaho Falls, Idaho to start my adventures in Africa. After around thirty-seven hours of travel, and getting lost in the London, England Airport, I, along with ten other missionaries, six other sisters and four elders, entered the SAMTC. For the next twelve days we taught one another, learned from one another and shared the true gospel of Jesus Christ with one another and others, we also played some too. We had come from all different backgrounds; the six other sisters were from California, Utah, Texas, South Africa, Uganda, and Tanzania, and the four elders were from Utah, Illinois, and Cape Town, South Africa. We might have all been from different backgrounds but we all had the same goal in mind, to teach the true gospel of Jesus Christ and to bring His children back to Him. I had many wonderful experiences in the SAMTC, one that I will always remember. Someone had ask me why I had choose to come on a mission and I was talking about how my grandma has just passed away less than a year earlier and because of the amazing blessings that come from being sealed in the temple I knew that I would see her again. The Spirit was incredible strong and I knew that I was in the right place. After twelve days in the SAMTC five of us boarded a plane to embark on the next leg of our journey in the Zambia Lusaka Mission. At the mission home in Lusaka I met my mission president, MP, my companions, and was assigned my first area. My first area was Lusaka and my first companions were from Kenya, CM,(initials only) and Colorado, JO, yep I was in a threesome and we actually covered two different areas within Lusaka. After about three weeks my companion JO was transferred up to the Copperbelt, still in Lusaka, and so it was just myself and CM to cover both of the areas. It was a challenged but we made it work. Before JO was transferred I has a pretty scary experience that shook me and will definitely stay with me. We were walking home one day and we came upon three men who had been drinking and one of them reach out and grabbed me and gave me a hug. I had to physically push him off of me so that I could get away. That experience shook me to the point that I needed to receive a Priesthood Blessing to even sleep at night. CM and I didn’t really see eye to eye on a lot of things and so it was a challenge most days to get everything done that we needed to get done, companionship study was almost non existence and being trained as a new missionary was only taking place every now and again. We had some success and it was definitely a learning experience. During the time that I was in Lusaka I had three baptisms, which wasn’t many but numbers never mattered to me, especially as much as they did to my companion. After covering both areas for a month another set of sister missionaries came to Lusaka, SN and KO, so now we had four of us in the flat and we were down to one area. It was pretty different that is for sure but it was a relief at times. After only being in Lusaka for seven and a half weeks I got word that I was being transferred to Lilongwe, Malawi. This was a relief for me because in the last few days my companion CM was sure that she was being transferred and had already started to pack. Also in the time we had gained another companion CR, so yep back to a threesome. I was starting to wonder if I would ever get out of threesomes, I had been in one in the SAMTC and for almost the entire time that I had been in Lusaka. Also while I was in Lusaka I had started to lose weight pretty fast but everyone in the mission, including myself, just attributed it to a new environment, new food, new routine, and just everything new. I got word that I was being transferred on June 7th and I boarded a bus with four elders on June 11th for about a twelve hour bus ride to Lilongwe. Now onto the third leg of my adventures in Africa. When I got to Lilongwe I was hoping for a new start but boy was I wrong. My companion, LK, had heard about me from others and so she had already formed her opinion about me before I even got off the bus, probably before I had even gotten on the bus. I was truly blessed to have two other sisters in the same flat, JC and NN, who had also been with me in the SAMTC, who blessed my life in so many ways. It was a challenge in Lilongwe to teach because the Chichewa language was one I definitely didn’t know, and my companion struggled with it too, so whenever we went to teach we had to have a branch missionary with us to translate what everyone was saying. The message of the Restored gospel was still the same and I pray that the message got across in one way or another. Companionship study was again almost nonexistent and so I got a lot of personal study in, sometimes at times of the day that I was supposed to be doing something else, like sleeping. I was still losing weight so that was a concern but nothing I couldn’t control, except that I wasn’t sure why I was losing weight. During the time that I was in Lilongwe the mission received a new mission president, LE. I was sad to see my first mission president leave, I had truly learned to love him even though I had only been around him for the first seven and a half weeks of my mission. I believe that the reason he will always have a special place in my heart is because he thought with not only his head but more importantly his heart. You knew he cared about you. After being in Lilongwe for only four weeks I got a phone call from the new mission president and I was being transferred, again. This time I was being transferred to Blantyre. My second transfer and I had only been out around twelve weeks. I got the call on July 8th and I boarded a bus, with three elders, some of whom I‘d traveled with from Lusaka, for Blantyre on the 11th. The fourth leg, and final leg, was beginning. Blantyre, Malawi where I would spend the last four months of my mission. When I got to Blantyre my companion, AN, was on the down hill slope of her mission, she had less time left than I had been out. She had also heard things about me before I had gotten there but the difference was that she waited to meet me before she formed her opinions about me. At first we didn’t get along the greatest, but then we had a few heart to heart conversations and it definitely helped, not only our companionship but also the way that we taught and interacted with those around us. July 27th will always be a day that I will remember, because it is the day that three of our investigators got baptized. These three investigators walked around two hours just to get to the church because they knew how important it was to be baptized into the true church. My companion had been teaching this family for a while and so it was such a testimony builder to me to see them come to church each week, because they lived so far away, and then to see most of the family get baptized, even though water was a fear for most of them. About a week after they were baptized we got a call from the father of the family to let us know that his wife has just had a baby, which was a complete surprise to all of us because we had no clue that she was even expecting another child. My companion and I had the great privilege of picking out a name for this little girl, we settled on Charity because it means love in the purest form. A month later on August 25th, the father of this family, along with another young man, was baptized and became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was still losing weight and by this point it was getting pretty scary because I had lost almost forty pounds in the four and a half months that I had been on my mission, by the end of my mission I had lost seventy pounds, and that was in seven and a half months. The scary part was that I was also experiencing pains whenever I would eat. Around the middle of August I was awaken by a sharp pain in my digestive tract and I just thought that I had burnt my esophagus with my Malaria medication and so I didn’t think too much about it. I still wasn’t feeling very good by the end of August so I ended up going to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital and was told that I had Heartburn and was given some medication. This medication had a crazy effect on me and would completely knock me out when I took the two medications together so I knew that I couldn’t continue to do that. I continue to go out each day and be a missionary, there are some days that I cannot account for because I definitely did not do them on my own, each day was actually like that, because we are never alone. I went back to the hospital around the end of September, more tests were run but still no answers. More medications, more weird side effects, and deciding on my own not to continue with the medication. Now comes October 11th, my companion and I are just getting back to our flat when the phone rings and it is the mission president’s wife, LE. The news she tells me rocks my world. My stake president’s son who was serving his mission in Mexico had come in contact with an electric wire and had been killed. I had babysat this kid and had known his family for his entire life, and they had known me for mine. It was a tough thing to hear and it really made me miss home. Also by this point I was eating only apples, two apples in three or four days, yogurt, and occasionally some soup and hard boiled eggs. I would get sick to my stomach every time that I ate anything, even those things that I could eat. Each day was a challenge but I kept pressing forward and being the disciple of Jesus Christ that I knew I was. A couple weeks after the phone call was Zone Conference and after Zone Conference I got a Priesthood Blessing from the Assistants to the President. The elder, JS, who was the mouthpiece had given me a blessing before I left Lusaka and I had truly grown to trust this elder very much and he will always have a special place in my life. In the blessing he blessed me that I would get better…eventually…, he definitely paused after he said that. About a week after the blessing I truly wasn’t doing very well and I knew something needed to be done. I had been back to the hospital again and still the same answers, which were nothing was wrong. Well, I knew that something was wrong and I knew that even though my spirit was strong my body was truly weak and I couldn’t be the missionary that I needed to be. I emailed my dad and he got in contact with my stake president and then my mission president was contacted and things were set in motion. My mission president didn’t truly believe me, I think that he thought it was all in my head and I was just homesick. I had many discussions with his wife and with a regional doctor on the phone. It was a tough decision but on November 11th the decision was made for me to return home to get better. I left Blantyre on November 14th after having been in Africa for seven months and ten days. The journey home was thirty-six hours. What I thought was the fourth and final leg of my adventure was truly just the beginning. After I got home I wasn’t sure what to think and taking off my name tag was one of the hardest things I’d ever done, or so I thought. Going back to church that first Sunday back was tough but I knew I needed to go back because if I didn’t I probably would struggle from there on out with going to church. I had the opportunity to give a homecoming talk, which I believe answered a lot of questions, for those around me, but I’m sure there were many more that remained unanswered, and there still could be some still. I ward hopped for the next about six months because I wasn’t sure what to do. It was a difficult six months. I had been to doctors and still the only answer I was getting was that I had Acid Reflex and I knew in my heart that wasn’t the only problem. In February of 2014 I met with my stake president, I had been meeting with him on and off since I got home, and he ask me if I would like to be an ordinance worker in the Rexburg Temple. I totally jumped at the chance and was soon an ordinance worker. I started working in the Rexburg Temple on March 5th. Even though I was working at the temple I was truly struggling with my testimony and with not feeling like I was a return missionary. My heart had been hurt and I was still in pain whenever I would eat anything. The list of things I couldn’t eat was definitely longer than the things I could eat. I just wanted some answers but none were coming my way from anywhere, or so I thought. Over the next few months I came to truly know that I had served the time that Heavenly Father needed me to and I was truly a return missionary. I was still physically sick but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually I was doing better. Over the next two years I had many experiences that shook my small amount of faith but I held on and I kept building that faith. I met some amazing people who have become eternal friends during those two years, one a week after I got home. I knew that I was a return missionary but I still had set backs every now and again that made me question if I would every truly be considered a return missionary by those who I loved, and the world around me. I know that that shouldn’t of even been an issue but for some crazy reason it was. The only one that I needed confirmation from was Heavenly Father and I had already received that confirmation, many times. On November 9, 2015, six days short of being home two years, I finally went to a Bio Energy Doctor who I had heard about from a couple of my close friends and I figured I would try anything. When I went to him and he ran his tests he was truly surprised that I was still alive. Not only did I have a parasite that had taken up residency in my small intestines but my digestive and gastric enzymes were extremely low. They are supposed to be at fifteen hundred a piece and my digestive enzymes were at an eight and my gastric enzymes were at a forty-five, and I had a few other things wrong with me but those were the main problems. Besides the medication that he gave me to kill the parasite and raise my enzymes he gave me something that I hadn’t had in awhile, he gave me hope. Over the last five and a half months my health, in all areas, has improved. Even though I still have my bad days I have truly let go of the things that were holding me hostage and I have learned to, like Elder Holland said, “cherish the time that you wore the name badge… and know that you are loved by your Heavenly Father and that He is pleased with you…”. I know that my journey of letting go isn’t over but I do know deep in my heart that I truly am a return missionary and that my Heavenly Father is pleased with the time that I spent serving His children, and telling them the stories of Jesus, in the Zambia Lusaka Mission. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that His Atonement is not only for sins but for so much more; my sorrows, my grieves, my pains, and many more things. He is with me when I fall and He is with me as I climb back up the mountain. Life is not always fair, or easy, but it is all worth it. I know that my prayers to feel God’s love have been answered and that He is there for me every step of the way. I know without a doubt that because of the sealing power in the temple that families can be together forever and that is such a great blessing in my life, for I know that I will see those that I have loved and lost again. I know that prayers are not only heard but they are answered, some times not in the way that I want or in the time but in Heavenly Father’s time and the way that He knows will bring me the greatest happiness. My mission might not have been eighteen months but it was the time that I needed to wear the name tag and over the last two and a half years I have served a mission in letting go.

Special letter from a Special Sister Missionary

I received a phone call from President Erickson just about 30 minutes ago and he said that the decision has been made for me to come home and recover there and then if the decision is right for me to head back out to somewhere that is closer to home. He doesn't know exactly when I will be coming home but he said that it could be within the next couple of days or early next week. I am sure that he will email, in a couple of hours when you are all up and stuff, or maybe even call, and let you know what is happening and when. Mom will you open the package and let Kara wear one of the Chetangas to the airport. I want whoever wants to be there, and who you feel is right, to be there when I come in, if the time is right for them. Also will you bring my orange coat to the airport, it is November in Idaho and I am used to aroung 85`-90` and I can guarantee that the weather is not like that in Idaho. :) :) I think I will leave some of my stuff here if that is okay? Let Sister Reynolds know what you would like me to bring home or I just come with what I feel I need. There are so many people here that can and will use my skirts so I figured I will bring a couple of them home and let others use the rest. They are all still in pretty good shape and some people here don't really matter what they look like. Sister September, my companion right now, needs some rain sandals so if it is alright I will just leave them here. Some of the missionaries that are serving here come from the poorest of circumstances so this is the least I can do. Plus the members here have given so much that if I can just leave a little that is what I will do. I know that I have left them more spiritually strong then when I met them but they have also given us so much. I will bring home all my garments, and things like that but most of my skirts are too big so I will just bring home the ones that I can wear still and the ones that I will need.
I definitely felt the strength that came from fasting with everyone. I knew by eleven o'clock that morning (Wed) that I needed to go home and that Jesus Christ would make it all worth it and Heavenly Father is aware of me, my mission is complete, and that Heavenly Father also has everything under control. I felt the Spirit SOOOOOO strong that I could not question the answer that I received. We were teaching an investigator when the answer came and he told me after I shared that that he liked it when I talked that way. We then went on to explain that those were the feelings that Heavenly Father brings to us through the Spirit. I even had tears in my eyes when I was telling him and I think he had a few tears himself.

Since Wednesday I have felt at peace about what Heavenly Father was telling me and that everything would be okay. No matter where I was. Thursday afternoon Sister September got sick so we ended up going to Elder and Sister Reynold's home and while she slept I had a great conversation with them. It is so nice to have them here and I will definitely miss them. Friday morning I got up and started to get ready and was studying my scriptures when all of my strength just left my body and Sister September was still pretty weak from the day before so we ended up staying in on Friday. Saturday was a good day, we didn't have very many lessons but that is okay because I don't need a lot to make it a successful day. Sunday I ended up leading the music in Sacrament Meeting, so glad that I have that talent and had the opportunity over and over again to practice it. I was also flipping through my scriptures and I came across these verses, 2 Corinthians 4:8-18 especially verses 8,9,17,18. Then after church we went to Sister Kandioni's and had lunch with them and then sang some hymns and just talked. It was definitely a great Sunday afternoon. After that we ended up at the Nandolo's, which is always fun. Yesterday the boys were super sick so we just kind of hung out and talked to Brother Nandolo. This morning we were caught in a rainstorm and I wasn't going to take out my umbrella but I finally ended up taking it out more to keep my bag dry then myself dry. Didn't really do either but it was the thought that counted. :) I got pretty wet but after about an hour the rain let up and now it is sun shining. Crazy Malawi weather, then again it just reminds me of the weather at home. :) Again I will need my coat and maybe my boots, :) :) definitely my coat or a hoodie!

Not sure what else to say!!

Love you all and I will be seeing you soon. Just so you all know I feel at peace about all of this.
Sister Kelsey Webster

A Great Elder in Blantrye

Hello Webster Family,

This is Elder Dettamanti! I was with your daughter in the mtc and have been in the same branch with her for the past 4 months!

She just tells me about being a cowgirl and what not and it makes me less home sick. If I'm every up in the old Idaho we'll have to go for a horse ride or something.

I'm very sad to hear that your daughter is leaving though. but i feel you should know that she has served faithfully and to the best of her ability.

we just need to have faith in gods plan and know that everything that happens to us is for a perfect reason. and I'm sure the lord is going to have a work for her to do once she gets home.

Well that's about all I've got to say. May your cinches stay tight and the winds be ever in your favor.

Blantrye Sisters-Sis Erickson

Two Smiling Sisters 

3 Beautiful Sisters Serving In Blantrye

The Blantrye Zone Sisters and Sis Erickson

Spreading the Gospel with these Sisters

two beautiful sisters "Smiles for sure"

Marching Marching Celebrate!!!!

Gorgious  is the word...

This says it all Sis Webster loves the children

Laundry  only once a week????

Can I let go will it stay????

CLEAN IS THE QUESTION THE SUN DID IT......

Life in Africa--- Progress rolls forward

This week has been pretty normal. The weather is crazy hot. It is cloudy some but still hot and maybe it just feels so hot because it is also humid and super muggy. On Thursday we met with an investigator who has been meeting with missionaries since around February and just can't commit. He said that he can believe and grasp everything but Joseph Smith, the First Vision, and the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have told him before and think that I told him again that that is the beginning and what everything is built upon. He just can't grasp that concept and probably because he hasn't prayed to know. I am so grateful for my testimony of Joseph Smith and the fact that even though he was unlearned he had the Spirit and the power of God with him to do what he did and to see what he did.

On Friday we were meeting with two boys and one of them kept saying that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are one, just like everyone else in this country. We had to tell him again and again that they are three separate being but one in purpose. Then when we started taking about the fact that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have bodies like we do, that was another adventure in and of itself. Everyone just sees them as spirits because of the fact that we can't see them. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of the fact that they both have bodies and I don't have to see them to believe. Definitely grateful for modern revelation that answers that question. Sister Gopani also fed us again. I think that she feeds us something every time that we go there. It was Nshma and I am staying away from that since it is Maize (Corn) and so I just ate the eggs.

On Saturday we went to a wedding for someone in our branch. The weddings here are super crazy and something that I will never get used to. A wedding outside the temple is hard to get used to anyhow but through in the Malawian Cultural and you have CRAZINESS. I will send a few pictures next week and hopefully a video. The District President married them and one of the other branch presidents talked. One of the questions that he asked was, "If you had one word to tell someone what marriage is, what would that word be?" He said sacrifice, but I though Christ because that covers a lot of words. What would your answer be?

Sunday the attendance at church was super low. Like 17 when we first started and only around 40 by the time that Sacrament Meeting was over, and four of us were missionaries. So needless to say the two Elders ended up blessing the Sacrament and Sister Napwanga and I did the music. Guess that people truly had partied too hard the night before.

The work of Jesus Christ truly is progressing and I am grateful for the strength that I receive every day from the prayers of all of you and from your thoughts and love. I truly know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real and they have bodies of flesh and bone, not only because of modern revelation but because we are created in their image and you have to have something to create an image after. We truly are the children of God and He has everything under control. Prayers truly are heard and answered and the scriptures hold all the truths that we need. The Book of Mormon truly is the word of God and was written for us. (Mosiah 8)

Have a great week!!!

Sister Kelsey Webster

The Life of a Missionary!!!!

As missionaries we teach of forever families but it is a lesson that is taught over and over again when someone close to you is called home. I am a world away. I'm not sure what to say. So all I can do is pray. God is in control. He knows how to bring peace to our soul. D&C 135:3 "... he lived great, and he died great in the eye of God and his people... In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated." I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have that families are forever and death is just a temporary separation from those we love, who are left on earth, but an eternal reunion with those who have gone on before, who are waiting with open arms to welcome us home."

Sis. Missionaries in Blantrye

Love for the People in Africa

Yummy Snack food

Beautiful Sisters in the Gospel

whose waiting on who "things to do??"

Heavenly Father is ALWAYS there and He knows what we need but He will never force it on us and He won't give it to us until we ask because that is when He knows that we are humble enough to receive it.

STAYING OR LEAVING THAT IS THE QUESTION????

This week, event though it was the week before transfers, has been pretty good.

Monday while we were tracking and teaching, in the morning, we were talking to this young man, I can't remember his name and didn't right it down, another young man showed up and after we told him a little bit about who we were he sat right down and wanted to learn more. We taught him again on Friday and this morning but he is going out of town for two weeks so we will see what happens when he comes back.
Tuesday we were teaching our recent convert, Charles, and we were talking to him about the temple and about Baptisms for the Dead and I had a question come to my mind. Is it still a year for recent converts to go to the temple, even to do baptisms for the dead? Aunt LuAnn might have to help on this one. Even if it isn't a year it probably will take that long to save up the money to go to the temple. Since the closest temple is in Johannesburg South Africa. Tuesday I was also grateful for the promptings of the Holy Ghost in a very uncomfortable situation.

Wednesday we met with this women who has met with missionaries before, but we didn't know that the first time that we met her, but Heavenly Father did. She is super interesting in learning more. We went back on Saturday to drop off a Book of Mormon and to teach her again but she wasn't home but her son was and so we taught him a lesson and left both him and his mom a Book of Mormon. He was super interesting in learning and we invited him to church and he was sure that he was going to make it but he wasn't there yesterday so we will see what he has to say when we see him either Wednesday or Saturday. There is a Relief Society activity on Saturday so not sure what will happen then. Wednesday we also went to talk to this young man that we had briefly talked to on Saturday and when we were teaching him about the Creation and Adam and Eve, he looked directly at me and asked, "Was Adam and Eve black or white?". He was totally serious and we tried to tell him that it Heavenly Father doesn't see in Black and White because we are all His children and He loves us all the same. He wouldn't take that answer and he was stuck on the color thing. I knew that I would get that question eventually on my mission but I was hoping that it would be a little later on but oh well, now I will know what to say when it comes again.

Fridays we go out to the Gopanis and that is always fun. I love going out there because of their desire to learn more and their love of the gospel. Even though they have only been members since the end of July and the end of August they were golden. We got them the hymns and the Church History and Doctrine and Covenants DVDs and they watch and listen to them over and over again. I am so glad for there enthusiasm and willingness to learn more and strengthen their faith and testimonies.

Sunday Elder and Sister Lyle were here from Zambia to help with a program called, Helping Babies Breathe. It was so good to see them and to connect to that chapter of my mission. They go home shortly before I do and who knows we might be on the same flight, well to Salt Lake anyhow.

Well, that is the adventures from Blantyre this week!!

I know that prayers are not only heard but they are also answered. Sometimes the answers come in ways that we don't understand but they always come in ways that Heavenly Father knows is best. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and was translated by the gift and power of God. I am so glad for the young boy, Joseph Smith, who 190 years ago wanted to know about what church to join and who prayed to know the truth. I know that he saw what he said he saw and I have a testimony of all the things that he has done to further the work of the Lord. As it says in 1 Corinthians 3:10, "I am laying the foundation and another will build" or something like that!!

Until next week!

MISSIONARY WORK GOES FORWARD....

The missionary work here in Blantyre is progressing. We spend a lot of time finding and then time teaching. We are seeing new people each and every day and some of them are progressing and some of them are not. That is the joys and challenges that come with missionary work though. This past week I went on an exchange with Sister Getts. We went to mine and Sister Napwanga's area so it was mostly me leading that day. I was a little nervous at first but things turned out okay. Our first two appointments fell through but I took a second to refocus and things went pretty smooth after that. We went and met with an investigator that has been meeting with missionaries off and on since around January or February. He has A LOT of questions and a few things to work on. I am glad that we got to meet with him because some of the things that we were teaching him were things that all of us needed to hear. Funny how Heavenly Father works that way! :) The weather is getting warmer, 86`F on Saturday and only getting warmer. It is summer here and every one keeps saying, "Just wait until October". Not sure if I want to! :) Saturday we did spend some time under the shade of a big tree. We stopped to see one of our members and she kept talking to us even though we tried to leave a couple of times. It was good though because I think that she just needed someone to talk to.

We ran into another Jehovah Witness, this time it was lady. She was nicer than the last one but still as interesting. Every time that we would bring up the Restoration she would change the subject. I am SOOOO glad that I have a firm knowledge of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and why that it is so important to know. She did give us one of their pamphlet so we gave her one of ours as well. It was on the Plan of Salvation because we ended up talking about if suffering will ever end. Quite an interesting experience to talk to them.

Yesterday we had a lesson with a LA by the name of Hope. He was struggling with the decision on whether to just work or to go back to school. We talk to him about how that sometimes we have to make the decision first and then take it to Heavenly Father to make sure that it is right. We read with him some of the verses from Ether 2 and 3 and talked about the verses that we read and then committed him to reread those chapters and to let us know. We haven't heard from him yet. He told us that we really helped him in making his decision though. It is truly amazing what just a few chapters of the Book of Mormon can do. I seriously love the Book of Mormon. I am truly a country girl that is for sure. This morning the lady that came to do our laundry today, a different one than usual, which is stopping it sounds like, needed to know where to hang the clothes, and without even thinking about it I just walked outside to show her. No shoes or nothing, my feet must be getting used to the ground or they already were. People around here walk around with no shoes on all the time so really it wasn't that different than a Malawian or a Zambian, cause they do it there too. You can definitely tell where my watch sits and where my sleeves end. My skin is definitely not as dark as there but I have some great tan lines and they will only get better with time. :)

My testimony this week is that the Book of Mormon hold any answer that we may be seeking for. Heavenly Father knew that WE would need the Book of Mormon and the advice that it holds for everyday living. The Priesthood is real and should never be taken for granted. Definitely something I have learned time and time again. If you need a Priesthood Blessing don't hesitate to ask, we are actually serving them by asking. Prayers are heard and answers, sometimes even when we don't realize that we are praying for that particular thing. Malawi is beautiful but plenty warm so enjoy the rain and snow( I know not yet) for me!!! :)

Sister Kelsey Webster

ZLM 04/13-10/14

Mormons Helping Hands Service

Kids Make Your Day....

Soaking in the Sun...

                                                      A Big Cheesey Smile

                                                                   

Kids Will Be Kids

ADVENTURES IN THE LIFE OF A MISSIONARY

This week has been full of adventures. On Tuesday we got a phone call from Brother Gopani, whose family got baptized on the 27th of July and who is getting baptized on Sunday, and he told us that his wife had just had a baby. So yep she was coming to church and got baptized when she was around nine months pregnant. They have two boys, one who is 13 and one who is 10 so yep the little girl was needed. Brother Gopani left it up to Sister Napwanga and I to name his daughter. Definitely something that is easier said than done, especially when some of the letters are not pronounced correctly. We look through the scriptures and decided on the name Charity. So her name is Charity Gopani, unless they added a middle name, which I don't think they did. That same day I also stepped in mud, well actually I came to find out that it was sewage that I stepped in. Not the greatest thing to step in especially when there is a ton of clean water anywhere. Don't worry I cleaned off my sandal the first opportunity that I got.

Friday we had an unexpected meeting with President Erickson. Not sure why he came to Malawi but it was still good to see him and hear from him. Friday morning we also spent part of the morning in the hospital for a follow up for Sister Napwanga. Not much has changed. She is doing better, but like every other time that we have gone to the hospital for her, they tell her that if she would lose weight she would feel better. That is definitely easier said than done for some of the African people.

Saturday was Mormon Helping Hands. Did anyone do anything for that around there? We went to Chimemwea School/Orphanage and painted one of the classrooms. Just like every other service project there were too many Chiefs and not enough Indians and definitely not enough supplies to go around. I was the official photographer, that is why I am not in the group photo, so while we were waiting for more supplies to show up I just went around and started taking pictures. I ended up taking a lot of pictures with this group of kids. It was so good to see them all relaxed and just loving the camera. After service we went to the area and taught a few people that weren't busy on a Saturday and while we were teaching a bird pooped on me. It was great. NOT!!!! Still a cool experience though. :) :) Before this we were teaching an investigator that has been meeting with missionaries since February and is not progressing. I told him, with the Spirit that he needed to do something to get from the 'starting line' to where that because of our weaknesses Jesus Christ would take over until the 'finish line'. He told us to pray for me and I told him that we were but that he needed to pray for himself if he wanted something to happen. I pretty much dominated the lesson but I think that he got the point.

On Sunday I got the opportunity to lead the music in Sacrament Meeting. Guess that all those years of leading the music in college and in the Singles' Branch is paying off. There weren't very many in church but it is getting hotter so people don't come out very much. After church we went to visit a few people but they were not home so we ended up at the Nandolo's, they are members, like the only ones in our area. They have two of the cutest little boys and it was so good just to be there and relax and have fun with the boys for some time. Missionaries need that every now and again.

Love you all.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is true and that we can gain strength from Heavenly Father when we feel like we can't take another step. He knows that we can and that is when He will carry us until we can walk beside him again. Prayers are definitely heard and answered, no matter how or where that we say them.

While sitting in the window seal of the truck looking for animals, this is what happens. 

Yeah that's what Sister Webster's tag looked like.

AWESOME BLANTRYE ACTIVITY!!!!

Happenings in Blantrye

Hello All!!!
You might have to zoom in on some of the pictures to see exactly what they are but it was a cool activity. Pictures from the Zone Activity. The thing that I did that wasn't that safe was to hang out the truck window. I sent the picture to Melissa of what happens when you do that.
We saw some sweet animals. We really wanted to see elephants and lions but they were no where to be found. We did see a water buffalo but I am not sure which picture that is, or even if I sent that one. I will look and make sure that I send it next week. Hopefully the one of the Blantyre Zone comes through this way.

This week has been good. I received the package that you sent back on June 24th. It took 48 days to get to me. Thank you for following the promptings of the Spirit and sending extra stuff. Thank you so much Mom for you letter, it was just what I needed. Thank you Kara for the picture, I love it and carry it in my scriptures so that I see it everyday. The pictures definitely make me laugh, especially the one of Jake (???) eating ice cream. Thank you also for all the shirts, the t-shirts are definitely appreciated as well as the other shirts. My white ones are starting to look a little brown, oh well I am in Africa.

I was given the opportunity to teach Relief Society yesterday. That is always an interesting experience when there is a language barrier. I taught lesson 15 in the Teachings of Lorezo Snow book. Definitely a good lesson to teach as as missionary and one that everyone needed to hear. Especially me. The weather is definitely getting warmer. But it isn't too warm yet, I think it feels somewhere like Rexburg or Logan weather with all the asphalt. I will live though.

I had a cool experience last week though. Sister Napwanga and Sister Wallin had this investigator that belongs to another church, not sure which one, and he hasn't come to church like at all. I have only text him and spoke to him on the phone like maybe once. Well, I had the opportunity to meet him a week ago, well on August 1st, and it was super interesting. The day before I met him we had run into the pastor at the church that he goes to and he had invited us to lunch the next day and right after he did that he said, "Come to lunch, I won't poison you". Definitely made me want to go to lunch, NOT!!!!! Well, we got a text the next day from our investigator and he was asking us, for the pastor, if we were coming to the pastor's house that day. We told him no but that we would like to meet with him to talk to just him and find out why he wasn't coming to church. Well we met with him at a less actives house and as we were talking I was pretty quiet but when I did finally say something it was something he needed to hear. "I told him that we were on mission to invite people to come unto Christ and to strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and for no other reason." There was more that I said but afterwards I sat back and thought about what I had said and KNEW that it hadn't been me talking it had been the Spirit, it was definitely that powerful. I definitely KNEW that what I was saying was only coming out of my mouth and that it was someone, The Spirit, talking. I was just relaying the message. I said what I said because I found out that the pastor is super weird and has a weird thing for whites. WE ARE FINE!!!! We are not meeting with the pastor and actually haven't heard from the investigator since then. Other than that the work is going good. We find and we teach and we invite others to come unto Jesus Christ. Enjoy the pictures and I will talk to you later next week

Love you all!!!! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUE and can be shared wherever we are and to whoever we come in contact with. Keep up the good work and remember to attend the temple, even if you have to drive to Idaho Falls. That is still closer than most of the people that live here. The closest temple is in South Africa which is like a two hour plane ride.

Sister Kelsey Webster

all 8 baptisms Happy Day!!!

Gopani Family

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                  

  unplaited hair -lion head me!!!!