January 9th 2014 - Week 1

Thursday, January 9th 2014
Buenos Aires, Argentina  Missionary Training Center

HEY!! So sorry this has taken so long to finally write back. I had to wait a whole week since last P-day when I got here and wrote that short e-mail. Things are so crazy! I have been learning TONS AND TONS of Spanish and I am pretty surprised that I am getting it so well! That is definitely the Lord helping me :) So I am sending this to you mom, but it is going to be for the whole family. It´s just easier that way!  

So, when I first got here, we had a lot of stuff to do. Get our picture and go through all this information... Lots of stuff. They did tell me that I needed to get 2 immunizations while I´m here. They did not tell me when, however. The first few days were kind of stressful, because I didn´t know what to do and you have to be following the schedule and doing something ALL THE TIME. But, now I´m pretty used to it. The food is pretty normal at the CCM (that´s what it´s called here - not the MTC) (but I still call it the MTC ;). But I don´t really eat as much and I drink a ton of water! So I´m pretty sure I´ve lost some weight too ;) 

Anyway, we are always learning new things and it can sometimes be overwhelming, but then you just take a deep breath and think about the reason you are here. Then everything is all better! We´ve already had to teach like 4 lessons (shorter lessons) to an investigator (our instructor). But they were ALL in Spanish!!! Crazy, right?! But, it´s been really good, because that is what we´ll always be doing. So I´m really grateful for that teaching experience (even if it can be hard at times). 

I have made so many great friends! I seriously love everyone here. That is one of the things that I think is so cool. It doesn´t matter where you came from or the background that you have, everyone has at least one thing in common with you, we are all representatives of Jesus Christ!! So right away we all have a connection. I get along with ALL of the girls so well! My companion Sister Argyle (also my travel companion) is really sweet. She´s a perfect companion for me because she will always keep me on track when I need to get something done. Like when we have chores to do, she will just start doing them without even complaining! She´s just a great example to me. And you can really tell that she has a strong testimony. Some of the other sisters that I have gotten to know are Hermana Dunagan and Hermana Sump. They are companions and I LOVE them!! Especially Hermana Dunagan. We get along SO well. It´s crazy... She´s like my BFF here ;P Haha, but also, in another district (Sump and Dunagan are in mine) there´s Hermana Miller. She´s really chill and fun to be around. We get each other, you know what I´m saying??? Probably not, anyway... Then there´s Hermana Valenzuela. She is from St. George, but is fluent in Spanish so she´s in the same district as some of the Latino missionaries. She is really, really, really funny. She doesn´t even have to try to make us laugh and we´ll laugh! Also, she´s good to have around because she can translate for us!! So, right off the bat all of the Hermanas (the North American Heremanas, anyway) became really close. I remember thinking how cool that was and that that is just another testimony that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I know that this is where the Lord wants me, and I couldn´t be any happier than to serve Him :)

SO, this past weekend I was learning and studying, but I was still struggling in a way. I can´t really exactly say, but there was something missing. I prayed and asked Heavenly Father if He would help me feel the spirit more. And the BAM! Sunday comes along and it had to be the best day yet! President Openshaw gave some really cool lessons and I felt the spirit so much!! It was amazing how much I got from our lessons on Sunday! Hermana Openshaw also gave a really good lesson to all the girls (North American girls) in Relief Society. (BTW - President and Hermana Openshaw are the MTC presidents...and also, they get released like next week, so we´ll be getting new ones...pretty crazy!) It was just a REALLY good Sunday. I´m amazed at what Presidente Openshaw knows. You ask him a question and he says, turn to (whatever chapter, whatever verse) and gives you the answer. And he knows it right off the top of his head!! 

My teachers are really cool too. Hermano Vargas is one of them and he is hilarious! He is pretty good at english, but sometimes he asks US how to say things... haha. But he served in Bolivia and he´s a great teacher. Then there´s Hermano Pederson..... Ok so I know I´m on a mission and all, so I´ll just spend a second on this....... He is SOOOOOO attractive!! Like super!! Haha he´s from Argentina and he served his mission in St. George, UT! Anyway, I guess he´s a good teacher too... A good one to look at... ;) JUST KIDDING! (Not really) Anyway, then there´s Hermano Abad. He´s cool, but kind of borning. Except yesterday he started to come out of his shell a little bit and he´s pretty funny...

I´m out of time : But I love you guys and miss you so much! Also, I miss Chaz! How´s he?? Even though this is a hard language to learn and sometimes I´m overwhelmed by how much we´re learning... I know that I am supposed to be here and I am a representative of Jesus Christ. I love being one, too! I love being a missionary!! I´ll try sending pictures next week and tell Cocoa, grandma, Natalie McBride, and anyone else that I love them and thank you for writing!! 

I CAN´T STOP SAYING IT BUT I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! Talk to you next week! BTW - I´m off to the Argentina temple now!!!! Coo huh! 

BYE!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker