Dec. 31st Happy New Year's from Guatemala

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Where did the time go!!
Oh and happy birthday to the best big sister in the world!!! I love you Vanessa aka …..Vernie.

This week was so interesting.
So Christmas here is celebrated on Christmas Eve. So the missionaries had a gift exchange in my zone and the elders killed a pig for us to eat. Yes… they killed it and I am not gonna lie it was delicious !

THEN I GOT TO SKYPE MY FANTASTIC FAMILY. Yes I cried and yes it was amazing. I love my family sooooooooooooooooo stinking much. That is really what the Gospel is all about. Family!!!!!!!  Families that can be eternal but only through the wonderful plan our Heavenly Father has made for each and every one of us.

So we saw miracles this week. We are working with the husband of the Relief Society President. He has been taught by so many missionaries. TONS. We fasted with her and her kids that his heart would be softened. He came to the Noche de Hermanamiento and..... TO CHURCH. It was incredible. Truly a miracle and I know it is because we fasted and prayed together for this miracle!!!!!

We had a Christmas devotional..... so much fun!!! I was in a Mexican dance. For those of you who don’t know.... I can’t dance at all and I did it.... with my best effort. The office did a Backstreet Boys remix to Sons of Provo and I thought I was going to die laughing.  It was seriously so nice to be with 3 other zones and enjoy the Holidays!!!!

I am so grateful to be a missionary. It is hard work but it is worth it ! Like they say here vale la pena. I am truly becoming more like my Savior and I get to help others do the same!!!

Sis. Kira Webster

"Oh, Snap 

Bus Ride with the Sisters

Yes.... Kira is dancing....

The Sky is the limit....

3 Zones Christmas Party

Dec 23rd FELIZ NAVIDAD

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
¡FELIZ NAVIDAD, FELIZ NAVIDAD, FELIZ NAVIDAD, PROSPERO AÑO Y FELICIDAD!!!!!!!

I wanna wish you all a very merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart! :)
Ya es Navidad. Me encanta la Navidad aquì en Guatemala :)
This week was an interesting one. My comp had lots of meetings so the work kind of got thrown off but we met some awesome people.

So Hna. Valesca, the lady who went to Church with us, told us she knows the Church is true. When we left, she said she slept so peacefully and that she will come to church every Sunday when she can. It was incredible.

Melvin. He is probably one of the smartest people ever and he actually reads from the Book of Mormon and finds similar scriptures in the Bible. He comes to every lesson with a huge list of scriptures for us to look up. He came to church too and invited 2 people to our bonfire activity and they came!!! Talk about a missionary right there.

Juancito. The cutest little boy ever. He doesn’t really have his parents at home during the day to play with him or spend time with him. He just needs love and he has found it at church. After Church on Sunday he was like so next Sunday i can come again right?? So adorable. Then he came to the choir presentation too. He was like can you visit me during the week too?? If only everyone had the faith of little children.

So we had a bonfire.... in 85 degree weather. I was dying. It was so hot but the Spirit was definitely there. We had an awesome lesson about the Savior and His Atonement. It was then I realized the true meaning of Christmas was what I am living. Focusing on the Savior. He has done everything for us. He is the peace and light in our lives.

Like the Song says
Silent Night, Holy Night,
All is calm, all is bright,

Remember He is the reason we celebrate. He is the reason for peace and joy.
Merry Christmas!!!!
I love you all and I love the Lord.

Hna.  Kira Webster

Dec 16th "The circus came to town....and we are teaching them!"

The circus came to town....and we are teaching them!!! I taught a lesson in a circus tent this week. It was legit!!!! They are so wonderful and the Spirit was definitely in our meeting. What are prophets??? was their question and we had a really great discussion about how there is a prophet who leads and guides us today because our Father in Heaven loves us like He did in the ancient times. We see them everywhere and they are reading the Book of Mormon.

Melany got baptized!! She is the sweetest thing ever. After her baptism, Hna. Betancourth said to me, that's a future missionary right there. :) I am so grateful that I was able to teach her. She is only 10 but she has such a great desire to serve the Lord and do His will. She always lights us when she sees us and always has a smile on her face. I love her!! She is like my little sister.
So we invited a less active to the noche de hermanamiento. Something incredible happened. So usually the bishop chooses 2 people to share their testimonies but he asked if he could share his testimony with everyone. It was so touching and helped me realize that so many people just need an invitation to feel the love of the Savior once again:)

So we are teaching a sister who came to the Christmas devotional and we went with Joven. He shared his testimony and it was the most beautiful thing ever. His dad isnt a member and he was saying how every Sunday he looks out and sees all these families together and how he just wants his dad to be baptized. We were all crying and she came to church on Sunday!! :) I know she truly felt the Saviors love as we testified the Gospel truths to her. This Gospel is for everyone and can bring peace and love into every home this holiday season :)
Random news... I made no bake cookies. i am teaching English and I love my comp!!! Oh and I have a solo in the Stake Choir Recital... hahah.

So I completed 6 months in my mission. Where did the time go!!! I cannot believe it. I only have a year to help as many Guatemaltecos to come unto Christ! So much to do in so little time. I really love my mission. It is hard but so worth it. I cry, I smile, I laugh, I learn and I love the people with all that I can. Merry Christmas!!! Serve a stranger today!!

Love you all!!
Hna. Kira Webster

Dec. 9th 2013

Hola!!!!I cannot believe it has already been a week. Oh how the time flies.
So I am loving the mission. Sure there are trials and nothing is picture perfect but I truly feel like I am learning how I can be a better person. I am learning patience, humility, love and how to become more like the Savior.

The Lord is truly blessing my companion and I with so many miracles. One Hermana who doesn’t really come to church anymore because she works on Sunday popped into my head. I was like hey lets go visit her. Her last Sunday working was last week and she came to church with her son, who isn’t baptized yet! It was truly a miracle. I have invited her to church so many times and she finally came!!!! :) Then we found another little girl who is visiting her family for vacation and she was straight up like I want to be baptized. She came to church on Sunday and was so excited to see us. It made my day. I love her so much!!!!

One Hermano after a lesson just stopped and said Hermanas gracias por este momento. So simple but it made my day!!

On Wednesday, we went Christmas caroling and invited less active members to the Christmas Devotional (online at lds.org, watch it!).Such a spiritual experience. One family was hiding form us. I saw the boy crawling on the ground away from me so I just said lets start singing. We started to sing and they came to the door and let us in. we had a really great conversation with them about coming back to church. They didn’t come on Sunday but Iwe are going to visit them again!!

I had two companion exchanges this week. One with Hna. Moreno and the other with HNA, ISON!!!!! It was amazing, we sang in Christmas songs in a bus and invited everyone to come to the devotional and one lady actually came!! So awesome. I learned so much form them and we had some awesome experiences. It is amazing how the Lord leads us to the people who need us most in the moment.

If I know anything it is that the Lord loves us. He is conscious of our needs and He is always willing to help us. We just need to turn to Him when we need Him. This is His Church and i am so grateful to bring it to the people here in Guatemala. I love you all tons!!
Send me pictures of snow please and Christmas trees. Thank you!! xooxox

Hna.  Kira Webster

Feliz Navidad from Hermana Kira Webster

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Dec. 2, 2013 " For this Christmas season, think of what you can give to the Savior"

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
So how was my Thanksgiving many are asking?? AMAZING. It wasn’t because I ate a turkey or because I got to go Black Friday shopping. HNO. DARVIN WAS BAPTIZED. TRULY A MIRACLE. So on Thanksgiving morning my new comp and I ran to Darvins house to verify his baptism at 6:45 am (He is impossible to find so we decided to wake him up!). He said yes and that he only needed to go to a job interview. So 5 pm it is. Everything here starts an hour late so we thought okay at 6. We called him and he was still in Mazate (like 40 min from here). What!! Then 7 pm came around and all of the members were getting a little anxious. At 730 they decided we should just eat the cake we bought for his baptism because everyone thought he wasn’t going to come. My comp and I wanted to wait until 8 but we just ate the cake and enjoyed. Almost everyone left and then at 755... HNO. DARVIN CAME. I was freaking out. It truly was a miracle. I had been praying and praying repeatedly that he would just come. He told us that he was nervous and wasn’t sure. Then one of the most beautiful moments on my mission happened. The members that were there just gathered around him and bore their testimonies about the day of their baptism. Absolutely beautiful. Then we sang his favorite Hymn, Lead Kinldly Light. When we ended, he asked us to sing How Great Thou Art because it was his grandpa’s favorite. I looked up in the middle and Hno. Darvin was crying. Then I started crying. When he entered the water. I could not stop smiling. It was such a beautiful moment. I am so grateful to be a missionary. To serve the people here in San Felipe and become closer to my Savior. This work is all about Him and I am so glad to be a part of it.

My new comp..... HNA. BETANCOURTH. She is seriously perfect. I love her so much. She is from Honduras and she is an amazing missionary. Literally incredible. I am learning so much from her and I feel like I am in training again. I am so excited to work with her for 6 weeks. We have seen so many miracles and I know this is just the start.

We visited Hna. Toribia when Hna. Pineda left and it was so beautiful. She just said, when I was sick and    alone, you didn’t abandon me. The Lord really sends us to who knows needs us. I know that is true and I am so grateful to serve the Lord for these 18 months. I love you all and miss you so much!!

For this Christmas season, think of what you can give to the Savior. Become better. Help others to come unto Him and a be a light unto those in the dark. They need us and we need them in order to become better and more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love you tons!!!

Hna.  Kira Webster

Nov 24th,2013 Happy Thanksgiving

Hola from Guate!!!
Another week in paradise and of burning in the sun. But seriously my face is so red.
Well the week started out rough. The first member I met here passed away. His son is serving a mission right now and it got me thinking to how I would respond? As a missionary I teach to people every day, that death is not the end and it isn’t. The Lord has plan for every single one of us. We have the opportunity to return to live with Him one day and with our families in never ending happiness. It all depends on what we do with our time here on Earth. So make sure you are doing what is worthwhile.
Hno. Cezar is so legit. I was telling him that the Book of Mormon is so powerful that we don’t have to read it all. Just by holding it in our hand we can feel its power. (Remember he is blind). So during the lessons, he opens the book and just touches the pages. I was so touched by this simple act. It helped me remember what it means to have a true desire to know and the faith to know as well.
We have a new investigator..... VANESSA. I love teaching her because I get to say my sisters name all the time and because she is just awesome. She told us that she never has really felt that God has helped her in her life. I told her that by reading the Book of Mormon she could find the help she needs and feel the love God has for her. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and she is coming to church. She is so adorable. She reads with her boyfriend too, who is a less active member. I love her so much and I am so happy that she is starting to recognize that she is not alone.
The brother of Hno. Juan Carlos Joj is so legit. Elgar. He is trying to change his schedule just to go to church! Nobody does that here. Seriously nobody. He is so awesome and so willing to learn more about the truth.
Pres. Amado of the 70 came to visit our mission. He said something I really loved. We don’t have to know everything but we need to know that it is all true. It is okay to say I don’t know but I do know that it is true. That really struck me but it is so true. We don’t have to understand everything the Book of Mormon says but we can know it is all true through prayer.
HAPPY THANKSIGVING!!! I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU AND YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT. EAT LOTS OF GOOD FOOD FOR ME. I will be enjoying my tortillas and caldo :)
xoxox
Hna. Kira Webster

Awww, Turkeys....

Not too friendly at this time of year !!

Sister Pister and Kira, MTC Companions

Lil bit sunburned

Nov. 18th "The Lord really loves us. He has given us so much beauty and goodness in this world."

MILAGROS.
Darvin..... HE HAS A BAPTISMAL DATE.  He is the hardest person to find and we found him and he wants to be baptized. I have never been so happy. I could not stop smiling. ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Familia Joj.... from my second week here. We invited them to a Family Home Evening with a member and Hno. Eduardo was talking to them about being baptized; they were like yeah... we want that. But they aren’t married so Hno. Eduardo talked to them about the importance of the Law of Chastity and then Hna. Olga Joj was like I need to get my papers together. Sisters will you go with me? UH YES. We are going tomorrow. I am so happy. I love them so much!!!

Cezar. New investigator. Coolest man ever. We walked into his house and I could tell something was off but didn’t know what it was. He is blind. So humble. He was straightforward and asked us so what are you doing here? What’s the purpose of your visit? At first, he was very stand offish but the response of my comp changed it all. She was speaking in that moment but I KNOW that the Spirit was truly speaking. Testifying of the truthfulness of her words. I have never felt the Spirit was strongly. It was amazing. Then he said and the other sister.... why are you here? I don’t even remember what I said but it was something that I could not have testified of on my own. The Spirit truly does testify of the truthfulness of this work. We went back the next day and then he asked how the Book of Mormon is different from the Bible? The Relief Society Pres. was with us and her response was perfect. WE NEED THE MEMBERS IN THIS WORK. CALL THE MISSIONARIES NOW.

Hna. Lillian made me a skirt!!! I love her. She always visits with us and her testimony is rock solid!!! :)
Today... I went to a jungle. It was amazing. We are so blessed. The Lord really loves us. He has given us so much beauty and goodness in this world. :)

Love,

 Hermana Kira Webster

Nov 11th, 2013 Just listen to its message with your heart and you will feel it is true too.

Buenas from Guatemala!!!!
So I had no idea that my sister was in the middle of a typhoon!! I am so glad that she is safe. I was so worried when I first read my mom’s letter. Please pray for the people in the Philippines at this time that they can find peace and comfort.
This week was a roller coaster of emotions.

We had a family home evening with a super awesome family of only sisters. I love these girls so much. They are always willing to teach with us and their testimonies are rock solid. Their mom passed away about a year ago and I had no idea it was so recent. They are such an amazing example to me of strength. Their mom decided to get baptized when she was younger and helped convert her husband too and now two of her daughters want to serve missions. Sometimes we really underestimate the impact the decisions in our lives. Not only in our lives but the lives of others. Do not be afraid to share the Gospel. The change and the blessings you can bring to a person and their family is eternal. It does not only last an earthly lifetime but forever.

We were able to teach an elderly woman and a large handful of her grandchildren. It was such a special lesson. As we were saying the prayer, I felt a little arm loop around me. Little children are seriously angels. I love them so much.

So we went teaching with two recent converts. THEY ARE SO AWESOME. Hna. Ingrid and Hno. Tony. They are like my brother and sister here. They are so amazing and their testimonies always strengthen me. I am so grateful to be here and meet all of the people here in San Felipe. I truly do love them!! :)

Awesome lesson with Jimena!! We have been trying to get a hold of her for like 2 months and finally we did!! Hna. Moreno and I (companion splits, where you trade companions for a day or few hours) taught her about the Restoration and she actually understood what we were saying. She really expressed how she was feeling and I felt like we were really teaching her according to what she needed. This Gospel is true. It can help me, you, Jimena, anybody in this world!! Just listen to its message with your heart and you will feel it is true too.

Always have love and hope in your hearts and continue in faith. The Lord hears our prayers and He answers them too. He helps us to know what to do and will guide us to do what is right through the Holy Ghost. I love you all!!!
Hna. Kira Webster

The Lord lives and He loves us all ! Nov 4th, 2013

Hola familia y amigos!!

Feliz dia de los muertos!! o and Happy Halloween!!! :)

So day of the dead here is legit!  Cemeteries in the US are kind of daunting and sad but here it is like the perfect place for a fiesta!!! There were hundreds of people all over. It felt kind of like Greenbluff Apple Festival to be honest....but in a cemetery and no apples. But it was so awesome. Oh and they eat this meal every day of the dead..... Fiambre. Look it up. Warning.... you may throw up. It has like 35 ingredients of veggies, meat and all kinds of things. It has a lot but basically tastes like beets.....

This week we had an activity in the Church and we watched The Testaments. It was amazing. We had quite a few people who showed up and I just felt the Spirit so strongly. The Savior really did come to the Americas as it says in the Book of Mormon. He still lives and He will come again. I just felt so much love in my heart for our Savior as I watched this film and I know the other people who attended did as well. He came for us. This Church is His. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints truly is the Church that our Savior established while He was here on Earth and it holds the FULLNESS of the truth. I am so grateful for that knowledge and if you don’t have this knowledge, just read the Book of Mormon, pray, go to Church and it will come!!

So we had a lesson with Hna. Norma and we were all so tired. We could not stop yawning, which caused us to laugh, and we could not stop laughing!!! It was so fun and I really love her and her family. She is preparing to get baptized!! She just works on Sunday so we are really trying to focus on her going to church this Sunday!! 

I cannot really think of anything else so that is all!!

I love you all tons!!

The Lord lives and He loves us all!!
We are not alone and never will be.

Love,

Hna.  Kira Webster

October 28th "I love my ward and this work and the people I am working with!! I love missionary work ! "

What a week!!! Man I love Guatemala. I love being a missionary :)
So we had an awesome experience. We were looking for one of our investigators and when we left Hna. Toribias house, he was playing soccer in the basketball court right in front of her house. We asked if we could teach him a mini lesson and he said sure. Then 10 adorable children followed him and us. It was so fun! It looked like and kind of felt like the picture of Christ teaching the Sermon on the Mount. He read the Book of Mormon and we asked him how he felt about it... "Tranquilo" aka peaceful It was awesome :) I couldn’t stop smiling. Hna. Toribia (recent convert) helped u teach too and let me tell you... she was TESTIFYING!! I loved hearing her testimony of the Gospel and how grateful she is for it in her life. These little children were amazing. So full of faith. If only everyone could believe like little kids. We got their information and visited their families too! One little girl was telling her mom how excited she was for us to stop by and when we gave her the Book of Mormon, her and her sister actually read it!!! (little did we know, her mom is an inactive member)

The little girl who likes Cinderella and reading... Cecilia (I think I talked about her last time) but we taught her and her mom and before I left she came up to me and was like " Uhh... este domingo???" AS IN I WANT TO GO TO CHURCH!!! My heart was full of joy. This little girl is seriously adorable and I love her so much!!!! Seriously the faith of a child is amazing.

So we started teaching the daughter of a member, Lillian, last week and she is super pilas!!!(awesome, una palabra guatemalteca) She is reading the Book of Mormon and she went to a baptism with us. I love being with her. She is just full of light and has a desire to learn and she is just hilarious. I am so excited for her and the changes she is making in her life!

So a super sweet experience.... I was feeling a little homesick and I just kind of cried out, “Heavenly Father, you know I am here for you". A second later I just felt like He responded my prayer and the thought came to my mind; “I am here for you too". He will NOT leave us comfortless. :)

So a Hermana in my house was super sick on Sunday so I went with her to Reu. As we were leaving, I just started crying. I wouldn’t be able to go pick up my investigators for church and it was then that I realized how much I love my ward and this work and the people I am working with!! I love missionary work. It may be hard but it makes me happy and I really do love these people!!!

We had no water for 4 days... aka smelly Kira.... it was great.

Well that is my week! I love you all tons! xoxoxoox
Hna. Kira Webster

Oct. 21st, 2013 The temple is where we can find peace, where we can be closest to our Father in heaven and the Savior here on Earth. I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!

I WENT TO THE TEMPLE. I AM SO HAPPY. I LOVE THE TEMPLE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH.
If you cannot tell... I am a little happy. I got to go to the temple in Xela (Quetzaltenango) this week! It is so beautiful. The temple is truly the house of the Lord. When I entered the temple, tears just came. I have never felt so much peace in my life. I have never been surrounded by so much beauty nor had so much joy in my heart. Hermana Terry ( my twin, no joke) went with us and when we both walked in, we just looked at each other and started to cry and we had the biggest smiles on our faces. The temple is where we can find peace, where we can be closest to our Father in heaven and the Savior here on Earth. I LOVE THE TEMPLE!! If you are close to the temple, GO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN: I cannot stress it enough. Go!!
after the temple.... WENDYS!!!! I was freaking out. So many childhood memories. hahaha.
So la obra misional is kinda of everything you don’t expect it to be.  have learned so much about patience and humility here. I still have a long ways to go but I feel like I am changing. Slowly but surely. I have really learned to love my companion. It was her birthday this week and you know how I am with birthdays! I went all out. When we serve people, we really learn to love them. We are happier and they are happier. That’s how the Lord wants it to be :)
Being a missionary is all about sacrifice. The biggest sacrifice is not our time but our pride. Being a missionary is about being selfless. It is about forgetting what we want and doing what He wants us to do instead.
So we had 2 investigators in church!! Miracle. One of them is a little girl and she is adorable. Her favorite princess is Cinderella so we basically just talk about princesses and books with her. She is adorable and we are going to teach her and her family this week! I am so excited.
So a member in our ward had us over for lunch and we were talking with her and her daughter, who I thought was a member for like 3 months... she isn’t and we started teaching her! It was awesome. her mom is a recent converts and to her testify of the divinity of the Church was so awesome!! I love this family so much and they are having us over for the Day of the Dead!!! ( It’s kind of a big deal here, 2 other families want to have us over too!!!! yaya food!)
By the way....  I LOVE PAN aka bread. It is soooooooooooooo good. Here it is just sweet goodness. I can’t even ex plain it. I am going to definitely gain weight... oh well.
Anyways I love you all so much!! Thanks for your support and your letters.
Hna. Kira Webster