i love ravenna but ravenna doesn't love me

Another week gone by.

This one was a bit of a tough one. Let me explain why. On Wednesday, I woke up feeling sick AGAIN. My throat was killing and I was congested. Beautiful. Thursday wasn’t any better at all. My sinuses were like throbbing and it was HORRIBLE! Horrible. For me, being sick on my mission is the worst because no matter how hard I try, all I can focus on is myself and the fact that I AM DYINGGGGG. It’s no bueno. So for the majority of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, I rested. Sister McAlister made cookies on Friday while I took a nap and we then went and delivered to some of the people we are teaching.

Saturday, we went ALL day long. There really wasn’t an option to rest at all because things were just scheduled. We saw Bobbi in the morning and it was wonderful! We dropped by with cookies and were able to read with her from the Book of Mormon. We just felt like in the last couple lessons she had been firehosed because the member that we took teaching with us just talk talk talk talk talk talk talked! Shoot. But the lesson was so good! Bobbi asks really good, and sometimes hard, questions! I love it because a lot of people won’t open up to us and it’s really hard to resolve people’s concerns when they won’t give you a hint as to what they are…. We thanked her for being so open and she’s like “Well, it’s just you girls! I feel comfortable to ask when you come here. I can really feel a difference when you’re here.” Spirit, SPIrit, SPIRIT!!!  So cool.

We also volunteered at a garage sale that was helping out Sister Ramirez in the ward…she’s in the hospital because her pregnancy is having big issues. We were outside in the hot humidity on our feet for like 3 hours. I don’t think that helped my body at all. Then to top it all off, we had stake conference in Youngstown from 7-9 that night. Youngstown is an hour away and we carpooled with the VanDynes who live 30 minutes away from Ravenna sooooooooo we didn’t get home until 10:45. Boo! By the time I got in bed, I was EXHAUSTED but I couldn’t even fall asleep because I was coughing so much.

 AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. That’s what I felt like doing. But instead I went into the bathroom and cried so my companion could get some sleep. Yeah, it was a sad sight.

Sunday was tough too but more mentally than physically. I have this horrible inner struggle because I WANT TO WORK. And honestly, I can’t always say that’s been the case on my mission. But I do but I can’t because my body won’t let me. I have to be able to FUNCTION before I can FULFILL my purpose as a missionary. And when I don’t work, Sister McAlister doesn’t work. And she has to sit up in this tiny little cubicle of a room that we have and try to stay busy.

And then, I just want to get out of Ravenna so that I can feel better but at the same time I want to trust the revelation that’s been received by my leaders that I need to be in Ravenna for a specific reason right now. Anyway, all this was weighing on my mind yesterday.

So we had stake conference which was AWESOME. It was broadcast to 30-something stakes from Mississippi to Michigan to the coast. It was all about MISSIONARY WORK! First off, President Kirk, the stake president here, invited all the members to get to know their neighbors. I’m inviting you to do the same. The gospel is best shared by a friend. He also said one of the most powerful statements my two little ears have ever heard: “A casual commitment to Christ will NOT see us through. We don’t have the ‘luxury’ of spending our energy on things that will not bring us closer to Christ.” WHOA. Digest that one folks. President Eyring talked about how as we persist in faith we will see miracles happen in many homes. I’m applying that promise tuh-day! Truly though miracles are happening in Ravenna.

After stake conference, we went to lunch with a less active man named Brother Widger. He was so nice and was sharing some of his most special mission stories with us. It was good because he really needed to teach himself, instead of us teaching him. He knows that he’s not doing what he says he believes and that he needs to change. We’ll see if that happens.

From there, we met the VanDynes who drove us and Haja and Brother Fortson up to KIRTLAND!!! (By the way, we had to move Brother Fortson’s baptismal date back to June 4th but it’s a good day and it will still happen.) Going to Kirtland really feels like going home. We went on a brief tour before eating our sack dinners and then going to the fireside. They speakers’ subject was on prayer and it was really good. Just what Brother Fortson needed to hear!




Brother & Sister VanDyne, Haja, me, Brother Fortson & Sister McAlister!



Afterwards, Elder Edman came up to me and asked if I was okay…and then I decided I wasn’t and I needed a blessing right then. So we ran upstairs for a minute and I talked to the Edmans. You know how sometimes it just feels really good to just cry and get it off your chest and then you feel better? Yeah, that’s what happened. I am just so grateful that I was called to the Visitors’ Center because I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have the Edman’s to turn to when things were hard.

This is probably the hardest trial I’ve ever gone through on my mission. So, Elder Edman gave me a blessing and Sister McAlister wrote it down. It was really good. It helped me get my mental mindframe back where it needed to be. It also promised that as I rededicated myself to the work that I would be healed and that I would be well, that this is not a long term thing. That was a relief. I am just so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father that restored the power and authority to act in His name back to the earth in the early 1800s. What an incredible blessing! I honestly know that I could not live without the Priesthood. I simply couldn’t. I find too much strength in it.

I do feel better physically today. I would imagine that some of that is tied to the fact that I feel better mentally. I am grateful for Sister McAlister. She has been so understanding and so wonderful and so willing to help in any and has just been patient through this stinking trial that is affecting both of us. I love her!

I know that Heavenly Father keeps His promises so I am going to keep my faith. Don’t worry about me really. I’m alright. Just keep me in your prayers. Oh, and one last piece of exciting news: We go to the Johnson Home starting on FRIDAY!!!!!!! Hooray! We found out we’ll still be in Kirtland all day on Tuesdays, and then at the Home on Thursdays and Saturdays…so we go from having 6 days in our area to having 4. That just means we’ll have to work extra hard to get in all the lessons that we need to teach. I’m so glad that I came on my mission. I am learning so much and really am changing to become more like my Savior. He lives. I know He does.

I love you,

Sister Webb