30 November 2009

Well, thanks for all the emails. It’s good to hear the family is doing well. And I’m glad everyone is pre-occupied about having a good newsletter this year. I’m excited to read it. I was thinking a bit about what I would write, at least on my behalf. You can tell the world that I spent the last 5 days in South America dead broke. It’s kinda funny to think that. I didn’t have one penny or peso to my name, but the Lord always provides and I lived.

Thanks for the email Dad. It does help to know that so many people are praying for me. It’s just some things in the mission you never expect to happen and thus can’t be prepared for them. But I will tell you one thing, everything that is happening to me is making me a better person. And every time I have a problem President da Silva is there to help me. That man is the most amazingly spiritual person I have ever had the privilege to know. It’s hard to explain, but my interviews with him make me feel like I’m talking to God. And I mean that in the most respectful way possible. He is God’s representative in Uruguay and I have the privilege of serving under him. I was reading, in the conference issue Ensign, a talk about enduring difficulties in the first session. Trials come from 3 sources: natural events, other people, and your own wrong choices. It’s some interesting doctrine.

Mom likes to hear my favorite scriptures every now and then. Here’s what I’ve been studying recently – Alma 13:12 and D&C 50:29. It’s an interesting journey to get to the point where you hate sin. That’s a problem I see in missionaries here. We tolerate breaking rules. Once we become completely and consistently pure, anything we ask God will grant, and, even better, God will let us know through the Spirit what to ask for. That’s how you accomplish goals with God’s help.

Oh, and I have a question for you guys, but more for Mom because she’s the smartest. I was reading under “prophets” in the Bible Dictionary. Could someone explain to me the difference between a forthteller and a foreteller? English dictionaries don’t exist over here, and who really knows what a forthteller is anyway.

And FYI to everyone, Michelle is dominating in her letter writing efforts. She’s the best. But don’t worry, I’m not mad. I just like updates.

What else do I have to say? Happy Birthday Dave, enjoy Tucanoes with whomever.

The baptism we had this week went very well. I felt the Spirit a ton. It was kinda funny because we didn’t start the water early enough so we spent like an hour running buckets of water from the kitchen to the font, never did that before. Lucky it was a hot day because the water was not warm.

Stay beautiful Michelle and enjoy your jacket.

I love you all.

Elder Whitaker