26 July 2010

Thanks for the emails everybody.

It sounds like a lot is going on in the Valrico Ward missionary work. That makes me happy. I was pondering D&C 82:10 recently. The Lord blesses us when we work, but the blessing is always hinging on the commandment you’re not keeping. Once you change, you feel the spirit more but there are more blessings to be gotten because there’s another thing you need to repent of. Just a thought I was pondering

Mom, you mentioned something about Maria. The other day I got letters from a Mutual activity. I sent a letter home responding to the letters I got. I think maria wrote something to me so I wrote her back.

What else happened this week? I spoke in sacrament meeting. I spoke about missionary work. I shared my conversion and the story of George Connor (a friend from high school I baptized) and the story of Norma Correa from Rocha. It was good.

I’ve also been studying the conference Ensign still. I just finished the priesthood session this morning. President Monson’s talk in the priesthood session was really interesting and made me reflect on the way I live as a missionary and the things I don’t be able to go back to doing when I get home. I’m realizing how many things I used to do that would offend the spirit. Sometimes the spirit is so offended from the last thing we did we can’t realize what we’re doing is also offending the spirit.

What else? I’m doing great. It’s not as cold as it was last week, but it did rain Sunday night. We had a lady with a baptismal date, but she didn’t go to church. Her kids want to be baptized too.

Yeah, sorry I don’t have much to say. I didn’t plan this email that well. Keep up the good work. Enjoy your vacations. Enjoy getting married, Brad and Cody. I think that’s going down this week.

Love, Elder Whitaker

19 July 2010

So I got to Floridá. It’s a town bigger than Rocha. It rained Sunday and we had about 38 in attendance. The branch president reminds me of Bishop Tolman. My companion is named Elder Matamoros from Honduras, my third comp from Honduras. I live in a house with 4 elders again. It’s a really nice house according to mission standards. Our shower has pressure, we have a fireplace, and a Uruguayan BBQ thing called a parilla. I look forward to using that. We are neighbors to the church. And it’s really winter now. It’s cold. I never go anywhere without my gloves, hat and scarf. Can you believe that I’m using a scarf? Scarves are awesome.

With my new companion, we started running in the mornings. I hate running, but it helps us. I feel good and I’m already skinnier.

So, I’m still studying the New Testament and the conference Liahona. I’m in Revelations and I’m using the New Testament student manual. Good stuff. But I found something really interesting in Elder Christofferson’s talk. In the footnotes it quotes Wikipedia. You can throw that in the face of teachers that still don’t think it’s a good source. Apostles are wikipediing.

What else happened this week? Yeah, it’s been cold, but I’m doing well and keeping warm and healthy. Oh yeah, one of the elders with WHOM I live (is that grammar right, Stevo?) is Elder Wally. He would have been my comp in the MTC if I had opted for the 2 month stay. So, I’ll get to know him a big more now. He’s a great kid.

I love you all. Thanks for the prayers and support.

Elder Whitaker

13 July 2010

So, this week was good. It was my last week with my greenie. Transfers came and I’m leaving Rocha. I’m happy though, because I was getting tired of the area. I’m headed off to the department of Florida. So, we’ll see how that goes. And my comp’s new companion is my old zone leader, Elder Erickson from Texas. He’s a stud.

What else did I do this week? I can’t remember anything. This week got cold. I had to use my coat and my sweater this week which is weird because last year it was way cooler this time of year. We’ll see if Florida is cooler.

Thanks for all the support. Thanks for the prayers. Thanks for the updates. That’s it. I love you lots.

Elder WhitakerDelicious Ravioli

Another view of the Paloma Lighthouse

5 July 2010

Today was fun because we went to the famous light house at the Paloma. I took a lot of pictures. Here are 2. I’ll try to send more next week. We had district meeting and did service and the Hegerhorsts made the whole zone lunch – BBQ chicken and baked potatoes and coleslaw and toasted garlic hamburger buns and carrot cake. I love them. It was our 4th of July BBQ.
So last Sunday was cool because my companion and I got to bless the sacrament. It was the first time doing that as a missionary for me. It was an interesting thought that I was acting for Jesus Christ in two capacities at the same time. I was representing Jesus Christ representing Jesus Christ. Cool. I felt the Spirit.

We had zone conference this past week and I loved it. President da Silva is called of God, and it has been a great blessing in my life learning from him. I also got my conference Ensign this week. It’s about time. But I learned something incredible reading President Monson’s welcome to conference. Our prophet was grateful 5 times, hit about 7 or 8 important doctrines and taught the plan of salvation. His wife fell, had two injuries, more recovering, then went home. Adam fell, spiritual and physical death, atonement, persevering to the end, celestial glory. It was an incredible insight and I don’t know where it came from. Cool, eh.

Lots of love, Elder Whitaker