8 February 2010

Hey everybody,

Today I got an email from Elizabeth. That was cool. I’m looking forward to having a new sister when I get back to America. It will be cool having a relative that has never been mean to me again. I remember when Megan was never mean to me, but then she did something mean and couldn’t be in that club anymore. Elizabeth, enjoy the “Never Offending Jeff Club” while you can.

So, what happened this past week? It was kind of discouraging, because of the six people we wanted to see at church, zero came. And it’s hard to visit all of them because the fixed schedule isn’t an invention that’s big in Uruguay. So that’s kind of what we’re praying for now, a family with a fixed schedule and time and desires to listen to the missionaries. But we know we’ll be blessed because we’re being really obedient, and we’re really trying. One thing that I’ve been happy with these past two weeks with Elder Stilwell is we’re really going the extra mile in our daily contacts. President has asked for 140 weekly, and these last two weeks we’ve broken 200. Yeah!!!!!!

So like three times Mom has asked how long Elder Stilwell has been on the mission and I forget to tell her. He has five months, two in Argentina and three here. He was in Durazno for his first area just like me. And this is his second area just like me. This is his third transfer here and it’s my sixth.

So the other day I was thinking about testimonies and I realized I don’t know how all my siblings got their testimonies, and I don’t really recall how Mom and Dad got theirs either. I would really like a letter where everyone tells me how they got their testimony.

I got my testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith one night when I was 12 years old. I was reading the scriptures each night to complete Duty to God requirements and I was writing in my journal for Duty to God. Earlier that day I went to a Duty to God fireside. This one night I was reading in 2nd Nephi and I wanted to pray. I got an answer I couldn’t deny, and then I wrote about it in my journal. I forgot that happened for about 5 years, then one day reading my journal I remembered. I know the Book of Mormon is true because the prophets and church leaders instituted the Duty to God program.

I’m sure Elizabeth didn’t know that about me and I’m sure others didn’t know either or forgot. Now you know. I’m so grateful to be able to help others get their own testimonies.

Oh, and Brad, IF you get married before I get back, the “Never Offending Jeff Club” can have two members. Just remember that the Spirit will indicate what you should do.

I love you all, besos, hehehe, o sea, jajajaja
Elder Whitaker

1 February 2010

Thanks for all the emails. I love hearing from you all.

Dad and Brad had questions about being a district leader. Here are the answers. My district has 10 elders. 4 of us live in the same house, which means I only have to call 3 houses every night. The zone leaders live with me and are part of the district. My companion is just a junior companion, but I’ve learned that being the companion of a district leader means you’re a stud. I love my companion. He’s from Provo. It’s weird that Brad or Dave could visit his family in like 10 minutes if they wanted to. He lives by the temple close to that park with the huge bowl where people go sledding. Cool, eh?

So the sad news is that Raquel couldn’t go to church this week. But she’ll come next week. This week we found her 19-year-old son who plays the guitar in a Mexican mariachi band. Cool. He can also play Mario really well. Steven would be excited. It means a lot to me that you are praying for her. It will probably mean a lot to her.

And I have an amazing miracle for you all about how the Spirit speaks to us. Last night I was talking to one of the zone leaders (Elder Bulloch, who has a brother studying CM at BYU, fyi Dave) and I was telling him what I thought we needed to be working on this change. I said unity in the zone and praying specifically for others and the work in their area. They made a zone plan for the change and that was the first plan. My next idea was that we need to make plans each week and remember them. We have plans at district meeting to make us better, but we never think about the plans during the week. And my third idea was obedience because we love the Lord. Those 3 ideas were the 3 things they had already made as the plans for the zone. I don’t know if I explained myself well, but it was really interesting.

And yeah, we get along really well with the three new elders here. I’m way excited. I can tell you next week about how the Lord is answering your prayers.

And I know it’s been a while since I told you all that I know God lives. Jesus Christ is our Savior. Joseph Smith is the prophet of the restoration. The Book of Mormon is True. And President Monson is our prophet today.

I love you all.
Elder Whitaker

26 January 2010

Transfers came and went. My new companion is Elder Stilwell from Provo, and I’ve been called as district leader. I’m excited about that. But here’s a story for you. I was supposed to be at a district leader orientation this morning, but I missed it. The zone leader in charge of it said I had a good excuse though. We were late because when we woke up our house was flooded. A pipe under our sink was broken. But it’s really cool to see the hand of the Lord in how our pipe broke. The three elders I was living with all got transferred, so all their gear was packed and nothing got ruined or too wet. If it had broken yesterday lots would be wet, and tomorrow I think a lot would be wet, too. But God loves us. And we were able to dry everything and clean out the house. And I got a packet of papers telling me what I need to know about being a district leader. I’m excited.

And if any of my brothers have good advice about being a district leader, I would love to hear it. That way I can give Steven really good advice in three years, if the world hasn’t ended yet. . . according to the Mayan calendar. . .

So the other really cool thing that happened this week was we found a golden investigator. It was a street contact too. She gave us her real address too. And we found her and the next day she let us in and listened too. She also said the closing prayer and prayed for my companion and me by name. We’re going back Wednesday. Pray for her please. Her name is Raquel.

Elder Whitaker

18 January 2010

So I just had the greatest birthday week ever. I’m way happy. I got a letter from everyone this Pday and last. I even got two from Weston. He’s stepping his game up. I got to go to a sealing for a family I met in my first area. That was way cool. God loves me. Unfortunately, I just have a ton more questions about the temple now. On my birthday I got cake at lunch, cake at a FHE, and the cake I bought. I also learned an incredible lesson from President Da Silva that will help me the rest of my life. I’ll have to tell you about it later though. We played soccer today and I love that stuff. I learned that my brother is getting married. We’re doing an endowment session tomorrow as a zone and I got to send you guys pictures. I’m happy.

Love you all,
Elder Whitaker
birthday cake

Family Home Evening with more birthday cake

Elder Ferman, Leandro, Leandro's uncle, Elder Whitaker

at a recent district meeting

11 January 2010

So, what happened this week? I went on a companion exchange with a good buddy from my BYU ward. That was way good. We have a lot in common and we talked about doctrine all day. It was very edifying. It’s interesting because Dad sent a thought about Abraham and his obedience and trial. This elder told me about these Abrahamic trials that everyone is supposed to pass through. It was something to think about that I never really heard about.

And it was interesting that Brad warned me about robbers this week. I don’t think most missionaries write home about this stuff, but I’m not like most missionaries. We got robbed. They broke into our house while we were out. It’s interesting that this day I was on this interchange and I happened to have my camera and all my money with me, two things that don’t happen all the time. I’m doing my best and God protects me. But don’t worry, we’re fine.

So here’s something interesting that doesn’t happen every week. A brother in this ward is going on a cruise in February and going to Miami and Tampa. He’ll be in the Tampa airport flying back. I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to connect with him and send me some cool stuff. I could get you the information. But I know it’s harder than it sounds and Dad will shoot it down. I know you’re trying to spend less and I don’t need anything. And I don’t know the customs laws that make that expensive. It would be cool though. . . .

So here’s an idea I had the other day while reading my patriarchal blessing. Dad will probably shoot this idea down too, but in True to the Faith it says you can share your blessing with immediate family members. I’ve never shared mine with any immediate family members and I’ve never read any of yours. And most patriarchal advice is just commandments that everyone should be doing, and most blessings are valid to everyone that’s obedient. So my idea would be to make a Whitaker family semi-patriarchal blessing. It would be very interesting to see what God is counseling us to do and then we could help each other to do it. It would be a really cool FHE. Too bad everyone isn’t together any more.

And another thing I was studying this week was joy and happiness, from Alma 27ish. In the Guia de las Escrituras, if you look under felicidad it sends you to gozo. And gozo sends you to obedience. Happiness, joy and obedience. Wickedness never was happiness, Alma 41:10. Obvious. And true joy comes only to the truly penitent and those that seek happiness. True repentance and obedience brings joy. The Guia says that true repentance is born from love of Jesus Christ. It’s amazing. I love studying the scriptures.

Yeah, nothing else really happened this week. Kind of boring. Thanks for all the emails. Thanks for all the prayers. Thanks for being examples. But I love you all. I’ll write you again when I’m 20 years old.

Elder Whitaker

4 January 2010

I have really good news for the entire world. The Spirit made it manifest after I read the family newsletter. I’m sorry it didn’t come to me until after reading it. In like 2007 I wrote a Christmas letter that never got sent out. Send that next year. Or use it as a back up next year, Plan B. Who knows? 2010 might bring a really funny year. I mean everyone loves baby jokes.

But I enjoyed the Christmas letter. Honestly I wasn’t rolling on the floor laughing, though. It was interesting to know that Weston busted his knee this year. That was new news. Is he using the torture chamber? Good thing Dave has good advice for all that.

I want to share how I learned again this week that God loves me and he loves me a lot. I was cleaning the house and I found a conference Ensign from October 2007 and a church magazine from 1974 explaining temples. How does God know I love studying conference issues and temples? And how did they just happen to be hiding in our house? One thing I would love to study is the topics hit by the apostles to see if there is a major trend to show how as members we still don’t get a lot. For example, in October 2007, President Hinckley talked about anger in the priesthood session. Sound familiar?

And here’s another thought I had while studying. I’ll share it. Jesus Christ was God’s first spirit child. So in the eternities we spent in heaven before we came to earth he was there the longest. I read somewhere that we will have to study and learn a ton in heaven after this life before we will be ready to create our own planet and all that good stuff, for eternities possibly. All this post-earth learning will take place in the celestial kingdom. We were in the celestial kingdom with God before we came here, and Jesus Christ was there longer than the rest of us. Now my idea is that Jesus Christ spent those eternities taking those mandatory classes that the rest of us will take after we die, the classes that are the prerequisites to perfection. I think he might have took them before he came to earth and that’s how he was so much better prepared than the rest of us. I’m still working it out in my mind but at least for me it helps explain how he did it. If there’s a talk that talks about this I’d love to read it.

Oh, Steven, thanks for the letters. 2 in one week. I was in heaven. I want a step-by-step guide of how to beat the third dungeon. I’m in withdrawal from useless Zelda knowledge. Oh, and you’ll love this. In my BYU ward was Travis W. He’s really smart. He’s in my zone. And he has a BYU math headband. I saw it. It completed my life . . . almost.

So my birthday present from President this year is on the 19th we are going to the temple. It’s like 30 minutes away from here on the bus.

And tell Kyle T. that I love his guts. We live 3 or 4 blocks from the beach. I’m going to put a letter in a bottle and hope he gets it. But Kyle, I don’t understand Brasilero so I need a translation in English in parenthesis to understand the random words you throw in those letters. Other than that I love hearing from you. I love your guts and I think I wrote you a letter. You’ll get it eventually.

And say hi to Brother P., but don’t tell him that I’m still working on my goals. When I feel good about them, I would love to share them with him. Tell him thanks for being a good home teacher.

Oh, and this week we did a sweet service project as a zone. We dug a water pipe trench. It was a foot wide, two and a half deep, and like 80 yards long. It was fun. I enjoyed myself and the exercise. My back is ripped. Luckily we were digging in sand and it wasn’t hard at all. It kind of reminded me of Florida and Africa with pine trees and everything. I said to myself, “I’ve hiked this before.” They were some wonderful moments.

Well, I love you all. Thanks for all the prayers and support. Good luck adjusting back to normal life. Just try to remember Christ still.

Elder Whitaker

15 December 2009

Hey everyone,

Thanks for all the letters. They really help. Thanks for the prayers too. So the new news this week is that transfers came and went. Of the 4 elders that live in our house we are all staying.

So this past week I realized I have been out here for 6 months already. The time has really flown. I’m nervous because everyone says the second year goes by even faster. But I’m realizing why that is, and I’ll kindly explain it to “all a yallz.” When the average American is younger than 18 years old, time is divided into 2 categories – school and summer. School goes by super slow and summer goes by fast. The mission passes like summer. I’m enjoying 2 years of straight summer.

And for the phone call, I understand that they have this phone through the internet and they have done this before; I’ll ask them about it. I think the other 2 American elders in my area will do the same, but we’ll keep in touch about it. I’m excited to hear that everyone will be there. Write down questions so we have something to talk about. And President says we have an hour. I’m excited to obey that. I realize that a lot of missionaries might not obey that. It might be one of the best gifts to Jesus Christ we can give him.

Thanks for everything. Good luck Dad. I love you guys.

Elder Whitaker