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

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