9 November 2009

Thanks for the pictures, Mom, today was the first time I actually saw them. I don’t know if I was stupid and I’m getting smarter, or maybe this computer is better. Maybe I’m getting smarter, that would fulfil something in my patriarchal blessing.

This morning was very interesting, but first the update. Elder Gonzalez is from La Serena, Chile. He’s a good guy. I have one transfer more than him. Unfortunately, this morning we got a phone call and he’s going to a different area and I’ll be getting a new companion. I’ll be junior companion again – so much for being a leader . . . but I don’t care. I’m still excited to work here. Oh, and my area is called San Jose de Carasco. It’s like 30 minutes outside of Montevideo. It’s very different from my past area. The people are way more affluent and as a result they work which makes them generally more busy. But this ward has an awesome ward mission plan and I’m excited to be here working.

Brad sent some questions so here are the answers:

How’s your Spanish coming along? Amazing. I can say whatever I want and I understand a ton. I need to study grammar more, because so far I haven’t studied barely at all and I want to speak better. I’m working on my accent and I’m trying to learn more words. The hard thing is knowing which words to learn, because I don’t know them yet. But it helps having 4 consecutive Latin companions.

Are you in a 2-man apartment or a 4-man apartment? 4 man, with 3 Americans. The other companionship is the zone leaders. One of the zone leaders was in this are last transfer, 3 new missionaries, and they split the area.

Is your companion’s old companion still in the area/apartment? No, we both came new.

Are you in a ward or a branch, and about how many people went to church last week? Ward, between 80 and 100 I think. It’s a strong ward, and lucky for us most of the members live on our side of the division

When you arrived, were there already a lot of investigators? We have a couple that look promising.

If not, what are you doing to find more? Contacts at first, but the ward’s mission program is starting up and we’re going to start working with the members a lot and getting to know them.

What city is your companion from? I had 2 companions from Santiago (Garcia, Osorio). Already answered that one.

And I’m out of time. Dad wants me to send some pictures, but it takes work and I don’t have a USB cord. I’ll try to send some eventually. But thanks for everything. I’m doing great. But now I’m going to go home and cook fideo con tuko, or pasta with a meat sauce. I hope it turns out well.

Love you all, Elder Whitaker