January 26, 2015 - Week 56

Well, this week was good. I am getting to know the members and everything... It`s pretty fun. My companion and I are like the best of friends. We get along super good and stuff, so that is fun, too. We didn`t have like any success with finding new families or people to teach this week though.. But, it was still a good week. Also, our assistence in the church was like 62 this week! And so that is like a pretty good number when usually it`s like 40. But, we did have a super cool lesson on Sunday (yesterday) with a inactive member.

So, after church yesterday, we had to go back to the church at like 4 to do visits with the members. So, we go and we ended up doing divisions with the members. It`s a good thing that I am a fast learner cuz I remembered all the houses in my area that we needed to visit haha. So, we get to the chapel and I go on a division with two returned missionaries. That are going to get married in like a week. Awe, cute right?? Haha they actually met in their mission in Argentina and she (her name is Guadelupe) came to Paraguay to get married to him (Christian)! Haha, so I did a division with a married couple ``to be´´. So, we went out and first visited a family less active and it went really well. They are trying really hard to come back to church and stuff and the husband is a returned missionary, too. Then, we went to visit a recent convert that we have named Tito. Haha he is so funny and really does have a testimony. He is like 50 and just says whatever comes to his mind. He is really stubborn, too and just always wants to have the last word.. Haha but we visited him, too and it was good. Then, to finish visits we went to visit a kid named Richard that is like 23 and a returned missionary, too. But, he is inactive and one of his best friends is Christian (the guy that is going to get married). So, we are talking with him and his family and there are like tears and stuff and everyone is just feeling the spirit and we are just like all helping him with his life and trying to put goals with him so that he can come back to church and stuff and it`s just going great. And then we knelt for the prayer... And wow. I honestly felt the spirit SOOOOOOOOOOO strongly! It seriously just like hit me! Wow it was so cool. Seriously. Also, my companion felt the same and so that was awesome. And yeah. I am like positive that this kid will come back to church and feel happiness again. Like REAL happiness. So, that was our cool experience this week. 

This p-day was pretty chill. It was fun. We went to print pictures at Kodak cuz I gotta send pictures to all the members in Aratiri. And then we went to this place to eat called Sorvetto. I felt like I was in the States. It`s actually like pretty close to where we are at and it is so good! It`s like a milkshake place. So, that was cool. We ate a sandwich and the a milkshake. Haven`t had one of those in like 13 months! And I felt pretty sick after drinking it, to be honest... Haha, but it was fun. And that is about it. Pretty low-key day. But, we are looking forward to an even better week! I LOVE YOU ALL!! Chau!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

January 20, 2015 - Week 55

Hermana Bautista & Whittaker

Yes. I got changed. And you`ll never guess where I am........... NEXT DOOR! Hahaha my new area is literally right next to my old one. It`s called Anahi. So, same stake, same zone... Yeah. So, that`s pretty funny, right? Everyone is having the greatest time talking about how my mission isn`t Paraguay Asunciòn North... It`s Paraguay Asunciòn Capiata cuz I have been in the same stake since I got here! And there is a good chance that I will probably finish here... That is, if I have another 6 months in an area. But, that is the news! New area and new companion. Her name is Hermana Bautista and she is from Guatemala! The second Guatemalan companion that I have had. She is just great, also. I already love her tons. We get along really well and also... She goes home with me! So, that is pretty funny. But, she is really awesome and I am excited to be with her.

The Hermanas' study desks

As for everything else. It`s pretty much the same cuz I am still in the same zone and stuff. Nothing has changed in that aspect. But, the area is pretty good. The members are cool and stuff, but there are just a lot and a lot of less actives. I think that the only active family that lives in our area is the Bishop and his family... So, there is some work to be done in that sense. Also... Our assistence on Sunday was like 43 people... That was weird and different for me. In my other areas it was always like 100 minimum every week. But, it`s all good! Just looks like we`ll have to do a lot of work to fill up the seats, right?? Haha but it`ll be good. I do miss Aratiri, though, a little bit. I love them. It was sad to say goodbye, but everyone (me included) was happy cuz I am so close and I will be able to visit them like whenever I want. Well, whatever p-day I want... Haha and everyone says that for sure I`ll finish my mission (that is weird to think about) in this area and so I will be able to visit to say goodbye ``for real´´ before I go. So, it wasn`t TOO sad. But, I love them so much.

After the rain - that is a street, not a river!

This week we pretty much just met the members and a few investigators that my companion and her companion from before have. It went good. Everyone is super nice. There is a member named Maxima who is just too funny. On Saturday, it started pouring rain out of nowhere and we got like soaked so we ran to her house to find refuge. And we stayed with her and talked with her for a bit and she just makes me laugh. She is hilarious! She just says whatever thing that comes to her head. So, that was fun. But, that is what we did this week. It`s been raining a lot, too. It like rained all night and all morning this morning. It might be typical January weather here, I don`t know. 

For p-day, we did an activity with our zone and it was fun. Pretty normal cuz I already know everyone. I think I might be the oldest in the zone for being here for so long. Haha but it`s cool. Before, I was the only American hermana and now there are like 3 more. We just played volleyball and presented ourselves to the zone for the activity. Then, we went to Asunción to go to the dentist... Yes, I know. AGAIN. But, not for me! Haha for my companion. She had like 2 cavities to get filled. So, yeah. And for that reason, I was not able to do cyber cuz it lasted A LOT longer than we thought it would last. We were there for like 3 hours... But, it`s all good! And that was pretty much our week! Lots of changes and stuff, but it`ll be good. I am excited to be in Anahi! Love you all tons!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

January 12, 2015 - Week 54

Well... And there goes the change. The last day of this change was yesterday and tomorrow, I will know if I stay or if I go. I am guessing that I go... Cuz I got myself 6 months in this area! But, we will see. But, if this week that we had just happens to be my last week here... It was the best way to end!! With a BAPTISM!!

Yep... Malena got baptized on Saturday and it was just perfect. She was just so happy. I am telling you... That little girl had no other desire in the past month and a half than to be baptized! And... She was able to do so on Saturday, January 10th  2015! But, it really went just perfect. Well, first of all it was like the most stressful thing of my life (when it didn´t even need to be so stressful...) but, in the end... It was great! So, during the week, we were like all good. Things were going great and stuff with the plans... But, then, when we get to the whole ´´who´s going to clean the baptismal font´´ we started to have problems. So, we were like totally cool with cleaning it and stuff, but then our zone leader told us that the ward needed to do it cuz it a ´´ward baptism´´ cuz she is 8 years old. So... That´s fine. But, then, when I call our ward mission leader and the bishop, they tell us that the missionaries need to do it! So, everyone is just saying the opposite of everyone else and it just stresses me out. Then... The ward finds someone to clean the font... Problem solved. Wait... No. Cuz now there is another problem. We don´t have ANY baptismal clothes in the chapel! And also... Might I just add that my companion was like really sick the whole day on Saturday and I was trying to do all this planning from our house and I couldn´t actually do anything cuz I was with her obviously. Anyways... I am calling like a hundred missionaries to ask if they have clothes in their chapels... And finally someone says that they do... But, then the zone leader tells me that we can´t go to their chapel to pick it up and that we need to find a member or the bishop to pick it up... Ugh. So, again, we call the bishop and it´s not gonna work. Plus, I am pretty sure he´s like super annoyed for all this. And I am just thinking... Whatever! I will just do it. The only thing that is important is that there is a baptism today! But, everyone is giving their own opinions and one person thinks one thing and the missionaries another and I just don´t like it... So. What we do is this. We borrowed a white skirt from the grand-daughter of hermana Betty and we use one of my white shirts... And guess what. PERFECT! It was just perfect. She was beautiful and so excited and happy. Her dad was super happy also and it just was a gorgeous baptismal service. We even decorated the place all beautiful and it was actually like pretty sweet. And that is the story of Malena´s baptism. And now we see how Satan is always trying to put things in our way so that we don´t do what the Lord wants us to do. But, he didn´t win! Cuz she went under water and received the remission of her sins. And then on Sunday, she was confirmed a member of the church. It was such a great week.

As for other things... We had a pretty normal week. It actually went by super fast and stuff. But, that is how it is. On Sunday... I lost the keys to our house. Yeah. Second time. But, it´s all good cuz I knew that I left them in the taxi that we took to church... Hahaha that is what we do when we are running late to church... We take a taxi.. ;) And sure enough... We went to the taxi stop and they were there. So, it´s all good. But, Heavenly Father was definitely looking out for us with that one cuz there is only one key to our house that exists.. And if we couldn´t find it... We would have had to brake the door down. And the hermana Betty didn´t want to do that cuz it´s like super expensive to fix and stuff. But, no worries cuz we found them!

 

Today, for p-day we went to Itaugua... But not to visit. Just to buy a few cool things and also eat at this restaurant that I love. So, that was pretty fun. But, we were also going to hike this big old rock that is like in the middle of our area with the other elders... But, in the end they told us that they didn´t want to. So, whatever. It wouldn´t be fun with them anyway... ;) Hahaha but it was a chill p-day. And that is it for this week! We had fun and we will see tomorrow what is happening for changes. We will see if the Lord wants me in a different part of Paraguay. But, I sure will miss the people here so much. I better be able to come back to visit them cuz I love them! Also, they have all told me that they don´t want me to go and it feels like I just got here! Hahaha but the time goes by FAST. Well, we will see what happens! And next week you will all know!! LOVE YOU!!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

January 5, 2015 - Week 53

Can you believe it?? I can´t. I left home a WHOLE FREAKING YEAR AGO!! WHAT!? That  is pretty nuts. Well, life goes on, right?? We actually had a really good week this week. It started off a little hard and stuff.. But it ended great. So, just so you all know. I am not as sick now. Last Monday, I don´t even know what was happening with me... But, I was just like dying. The elders had to come and give me a blessing!! But, then... I was fine. I had just like a super bad headache and a fever. But, the next day, I was just as new. So, I thought that I was cured and it was like 24 hour flu. But, now I have a cough. But, it´s whatever. Just annoying, is all. Not anything too serious.

This week was kinda different cuz in the mission here in Paraguay Asuncion North... We are no longer have to say our numbers to the district and zone leaders. In our mission now... We are only focusing on baptisms, percentage of retention of members and reactivation. So.. That is a pretty big change. But, it is pretty nice to not have to stress out about getting good numbers and stuff. It actually gives you an opportunity to think about the people and what we need to do with them. So, officially we are doing it like this now. And... We had great results!! 

First of all.... We are having a baptism on Saturday!! Malena is going to get baptized and she is SOOOO excited. She is like just counting the days down and it´s now official!! She will be baptized on the 10th of January 2015!! So, that is exciting. Also, a few weeks ago, we found a less active family and we were able to visit them this week.. Familia Caceres. And they came to church!! So that is cool. They are totally returning and it is so great to see it. Also, they have a daughter that is like 10 that still needs to get baptized!! So, that will be awesome. ALSO... We are working with the family of a recent convert from like a year and a half ago that is in our area. They are investigators and they all came to church this week! It was so exciting. They also have a baptismal date for the 24th of January, so we will see how that goes!

Hermana Whittaker & Elder Laura

Anyways... It was actually a super good week for us. We had to do mini divisions with two hermanas in the ward so that we would be able to pass by to pick up the two families that came and it worked out perfect! We even got to church on time cuz everyone was ready to go when we got there! So that was good. Anyways... It was a good p-day. It is a little bit weird now cuz Elder Laura isn´t with us anymore. And we were so used to him. We had the coolest district, but he got special changes. But, we did see him today, though, in the office, so that was cool! Also, I got a package from the grandparents! So, that was cool and exciting. 

Also, this week was New Year´s! It was pretty fun. We just spent it with hermana Betty and her family again. We did like the same thing. Set off a few small fireworks and stuff. Also, we had a dinner with one of the recent converts here, hermano Hugo. He is cool and invited us to eat with his family for New Year´s! It was cool cuz his family are not members and they have never really  ´´had the time´´ to talk with us. But, we finally got to meet them and have  a dinner! It was cool! I also made this crown that says 2015 and so that is pretty cool. But, that is all we did for New Year´s. And now we are in 2015.....

This p-day, we didn´t do like anything cool. We just went to the office to pick up new shoes for my companion. It was cool cuz there were like a ton of people there that we saw and I got to talk with a lot of cool missionaries... But, it wasn´t anything too special. Also... Changes are coming up this week. And, to be honest, this week will probably be my last week in this area. I have like 6 months here and who knows where I will go next. But, we will see. I won´t know until next Tuesday. But, I am guessing that I am leaving... :( Which is crappy because we finally have some cool investigators that are progressing and have baptismal date, but also... I have been here for a while... Haha we will see.

Hermana Whittaker & Sanchez

So, that is what happened this week. I can´t believe that this change is like up! This is the last week of the change. So weird. Also.. I can´t believe I have been here for a year! That is crazy and it has just FLOWN!!

LOVE YOU TONS!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

Picture is Hermana Whittaker and Sanchez from El Salvador; a cute and awesome Hermana - will be finished with her mission in a week!