30 August 2010

Wow. Thanks for all the emails. It sounds like everyone is doing really well. Mom asked the question if I live in a 2 or 4 elder house. There are 4 of us, 3 Americans and my comp from Paraguay. The 3 of us all came together to the mission, but I never go to know them that well because I was put in the Latino group (at the MTC).

Steven, have fun with all my old teachers. It looks like you have 4 or 5 that I had. You’re welcome for my setting the bar really high. Good luck doing better than me.

And Michelle mentioned something about keeping the house like the temple. Ironically, I had been thinking about that this week, and I changed something to make our house more like a temple. I set a goal. Sometimes I would do what I needed to do faster than the schedule gives me. In the morning or at night when that happened, I would start my studies or sleep earlier. But this week I put that time into cleaning the house. One morning I swept and mopped the floor. I also washed dishes and cleaned my desk. It’s made a difference. I’ve been able to sacrifice 2 things I like to be able to feel the Spirit more – some sacrifice.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! Enjoy that. I’ll refrain from any other comments. Just know I’m thinking of you.

So, I’m really excited for this transfer. I love my companion. This is his third transfer and he’s really learning English well. It’s interesting that he knows enough to be at the point in the learning process that I can help him a lot. We talk a lot in English and he always prays in English.

Another cool thing that we found out this week is that the missionary that taught my companion’s mom the gospel lives in our city. I thought that was way cool. It shouldn’t happen, but things like this happen all the time.

Our investigators are good. We were a little disappointed because those that said they’d come (to church) didn’t make it. But we’re being super obedient and we’re going to see some awesome miracles. I’m excited.

I love you all. Thanks for praying for me. And thanks for the pictures.

Elder Whitaker

24 August 2010

Thanks for the letters. It was good to hear from everyone. First I wanted to answer David’s questions. Am I allowed to look at blogs? I really don’t know, but it would be easier for me to just attach a photo or two to an email. And Dave asked about how we get food. The members provide for us usually every day besides P-day. We eat lunch with them. Breakfast I make for myself. I’ve been living on hot cocoa during the winter, and I’ll probably go back to corn flakes when it stops being cold, and that might be really soon. Sometimes we eat dinner or a snack when we get home, but not always. It’s a really interesting change from America. If I eat a double portion at lunch, which is what the members give us, I’m usually not even hungry until the next morning. But it was an interesting journey getting used to not eating dinner.

I had a question for the family. Where are you reading in the Bible? Have you finished it? Or are you in Isaiah or something? At the moment I’m reading Jesus the Christ for the second time. Good stuff. I’m also transferring marks from my old Bible to my new one.

Another random question: In America has the Lays chips company made these “French fries in a bag” chips things? Because they sell these things in every little shop and my companion always buys them. Just wondering.

Here’s another question for my missionary relatives. I’ve been wondering what habits you acquired on the mission that you are still doing today. Are there habits you lost and had to get back? And are there habits you lost and want back? It’s just something I’ve been wondering.

So, Elder Arnold of the Seventy visited our mission this week. It was awesome. I don’t think I have time to say how awesome it was, but the Lord is changing missionary work. We have new things we’re focusing on and I think there’s a new book to supplement Preach My Gospel. And there are new DVD’s to teach us. I don’t think I have time to explain that either.

So transfers came. I’m staying in Florida, but I have a new comp – Elder Nunez from Paraquay. And my new zone leader was my second companion. I’m so excited.

We had quite a few miracles at church this week, like 6 investigators came. 3 that came felt the Spirit, and don’t have to get married or divorced, so we should be having baptisms soon.

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

Love, Elder Whitaker

16 August 2010

“Tell us a story of your favorite investigator.” That’s what Brad asked me to write about. That was what I was planning on doing. My companion and I are teaching a couple, Cindy and Nicolas. They have 2 kids, Mauro and Bruno. The four of them went to church this week. They are an awesome family. Their two trials right now are that they are not married and Nicolas is out of work. They are going to the marriage place to get a date so that they can get married. And we visited them with our branch president one day and the president just so happened to need a worker for a few weeks. They are doing construction work outside of the city. They leave for four or five days and come back on the weekends. It’s awesome knowing that our investigator has spent two weeks now working with the branch president and a handful of other members. The kids are 5 and 2. The 2 year old was having fun during sacrament meeting and wasn’t very reverent. But that’s okay, because the Lord wants his 2 year olds at church. So we’re excited about them and hopefully they can get married soon so that they can get baptized.

We also found a new family to teach this week. It was cool and it just so happens that the lady is a relative of a member. That’s always cool. We went to visit them with a Brother Machado. We call him the district ward mission leader, but some might know that that isn’t a calling. He’s a high council member over missionary work, and he does his job really well, which is interesting down here in Uruguay, but it shows that the church is really developing down here.

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

Love, Elder Whitaker

9 August 2010

And wow, Brad, you even had a pony and cart. Here in Uruguay horses and carts are a big thing. I imagine it could be the same in Resistencia. I hope one day to ride a cart like that. And thanks for the tie, Brad. I’m wearing it right now.

And as I pondered more about the family reunion proposition the more I think a yearly activity would be nice. I realize that I don’t know my cousins that well and a yearly shin dig would help that.

Brad question: What was your trainer’s name? I don’t remember if I told you but a guy here served in your mission, last name of Blanco. I think he was the assistant at one point. He’s been home for 2 years now. This guy didn’t recognize you, but I think he would know your other companions.

So we had our interviews with President this week. Those went well. I love President da Silva.

We had district meeting this morning. It went well. I shared a lesson about persevering to the end. We memorized Ether 12:6 as a district and then I shared a wrestling story. One time I went into double overtime and won 1 to 0. The next week I wrestled the same kid and beat him 13 to 1. I said that if we persevere, we’ll destroy Satan the second time 13 to 1. It was cool when I said it because I was talking through the Holy Ghost. It’s always cool when that happens. I wish it would happen more.

What else happened? What a boring week. I practiced the piano before district meeting again, and I played a duet with another elder. That was cool.

I’m reading Jesus the Christ again and learning a lot. I got my [Spanish] Bible, Mom, so you don’t have to worry about sending me one.

And I have nothing else to say. Sorry if this email was boring.

The church is true. Jesus Christ is our older brother. We have a living prophet today, and here’s a quick clip from a hymn that has become a part of my testimony:

Yo se que vive me senor.
Consuelo es poder saber.
Que vive aunque mureto fue.
Y siempre su amore tender.

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

Love, Elder Whitaker

2 August 2010

So, this week was really good. I learned a lot. I finished reading the May conference Ensign and the New Testament. It was one of the best studies I've had in my life. It was good to study the most recent prophetic counsel - the Lord's most recent counsel to his children. I was impressed with the focus about personal revelation, families, and Jesus Christ. My testimony of the resurrection was strengthened. I knew before, but now I know better. Something that really called my attention was Elder Hales' talk. He said to parents that their children are their most important investigators. That made me think. I am teaching lessons to my investigators as often as possible, hopefully like 3 lessons a week. I try to invite members. A golden investigator can get baptized in around 4 weeks. I compared that with my personal investigation and journey towards my baptism - 8 years of church, thousands of prayers and lessons, structured and unstructured, and then 11 or so years of retention lessons. Is there any wonder I am where I am now? Thanks Mom and Dad for being great missionaries. I'm sure this thanks comes from all of us.

And, Brad, ironically on Saturday I was reading Revelation 19 where it talks about the Lord's wedding. That made me think of you. Hehehe.

So here's a very interesting story. My first companion was from Argentina. He went home last September. Shortly after going home he moved to Montevideo and has had a girlfriend ever since. He has always been bothering the missionaries in his ward to get my phone number. Well this week he finally got it and called me out of the blue, and then he invited me to his wedding next week, and wanted me to ask President for permission to go. That was really weird, and should have never happened. But I asked President and got the answer I knew I would get, "NO." I just thought it was interesting that Brad and he finished their missions within a week of each other and got married the same way.

So, I shared my testimony last Sunday and the Spirit taught me something very important. Earlier in my mission I tried to avoid sharing my testimony on Fast Sunday saying that the members needed to be using the time. I learned that was a lie Satan wanted me to believe, and I repented. The Spirit told me to share my testimony and it was really cool. I shared the testimony David shared once, I think: A boy walked into a forest with a question, and the boy walked out with an answer. That answer changed the world. That forest became sacred and that boy became a prophet. How grateful I am for that boy.

Love, Elder Whitaker