April 20, 2015 - Week 68

Well, not much happened this week. As for my ankle... It`s like better now. I can walk and everything. Really, it was only sore for like a few days. So, that is good news, right?? But, that is about all for that...

For the work. It`s going along. We are pretty excited cuz we have an important appointment tonight after our p-day and it`s with like a couple that talked to a member that wants to learn and stuff. So, it`s cool cuz THEY are coming to US. So, we will see how that goes and all. But, I have just been getting to know the area and all and visit the investigators and stuff. One of our investigators, Margarita, pretty much said that she won`t be ready to get baptized anytime soon cuz she has to recover healthwise (I don`t even know if that is a word anymore???) But, basically, she needs to get better cuz she is not doing too well. Also, we have a recent convert named Amada that is going through lots of stuff right now and so we gotta help her out... Lots of stuff to do.

Raincoats for all the rain!

Other than that.. Nothing happened.. Haha except something super funny did happen this week and my companion gave me permission to write about it. Ok, so it has been raining like all week (also, it is raining really hard right now), and on like Thursday, we went to eat at this place for our lunch cuz we didn`t have a member to give us lunch that day.. And we are like sharing an umbrella and stuff and we get to the place, eat, and it starts to rain like SUPER bad. Like pouring and lightnight and thunder. And, we had to go back to the house and stuff to put boots on and all.. So, we decide to go out anyway into the pouring rain and we are walking and the roads are like full of water and stuff.... Also, my companion is like freaking out a little bit cuz she has almost never been in a rainstorm cuz where she lives it just doesn`t rain. So, we are like a block away from our house and there is this HUGE lightning that strikes and the thunder came like right after.. And all I said was ``Wow... That was a close one!´´ And I started to fast walk/run to get to the house and we get there and my companion says... ``I think I peed my pants......´´ HAHAHAHAHA!!! She totally peed her pants cuz she was scared! But, she is really cool and thought it was just as funny as I did and she said I could write home and tell my family... So, that is the funny thing that happened this week. I was laughing like forever!!

Well, that is about all. We did cyber early again and after, we are going to the Pizza Hut and meeting up with Hermana Valenzuela and her comp to hang out. So I am like BEYOND excited. Have a great week!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

The new living quarters...

April 13, 2015 - Week 67

Hermana Morgan, Chloe's new companion

Well, I am guessing you are all dying to know changes... I am just sorry to inform that I DID receive changes and I am no longer companions with Hermana Valenzuela.... And I am PRETTY sad about it.... But... It`s all good cuz I am with a really nice companion who is pretty cool, too. Her name is Hermana Morgan and she is from Peru. We actually get along really well and are pretty good friends. I knew her from before cuz she was companions with an hermana that is my friend and we would always do stuff with her... So, it`s pretty fun.

In BIGGER news... I am not in Capiata!! It`s sooooo weird, too. 15 months in the same stake... You know, you get kind of used to it. But, now I am in an area called Luque. It`s like all city. I am used to like more spread-out type of areas. Like neighborhoods... But here... It`s like only apartments. And we are like the Central of Luque. So, we have like tons of stores and stuff. It is just really different than my other areas! I miss the people in Anahi... But I miss my companion more. But, it`s ok cuz I hear a lot from her. She calls me like everyday. Also, Hermana Valenzuela is training a new missionary, so it looks like she will end her mission like that! I at like 99.9% positive that this is my last area... Haha unless President does some crazy weird change for my last 6 weeks here (that sounds weird). And I am like 98.9% positive that I will stay with Hermana Morgan as well... But, those are the changes in my life right now. I am just trying to get used to a new area and stuff that is sooo different. But, it`s all good! I am already good friend`s with my companion, so that`s a good sign.

The time is just going soo fast. I have like 11 weeks left. And THAT is crazy... Speaking of that... I actually already received my ``Trunky Call´´. That is the call when the secretary in the office calls you to ask you for your final destination and at what time you want to leave to go home... So, things are real now! I don`t know tons of details yet, but I do know that I leave Asuncion at 1 AM on Thursday, July 2...!! (Too soon for this info...? haha) So, that is the news!

As for this area... It`s pretty cool. We actually have some investigators that are super cool, but they just need that ``push´´ to help them really progress so that they can be baptized! So, we are going to work a lot with them. There is an investigator named Karen that is really cute. She is 20 and has an 8 month old baby and her boyfriend is a member who is less active. But, my comp with her old comp were working with them a lot so that they can get married and she can get baptzied. And he is reactivating again. So, we have Karen along with a few other investigators. So, there is a lot of potential here in Luque. Our area is pretty huge, though. I feel like it`s just giant and I`ll never be able to learn it. But, one, it`s probably just cuz it`s all streets and cities and stuff and two, I probably won`t be left here to teach the area to someone else... Haha.

OUCH!

Oh... Another thing. So, something happened yesterday. So, we live in an apartment on the 4th floor, right.... And yesterday on our way to church, I was walking down the stairs and on the last one... I fell. And I sprained my ankle REALLY bad. Like it was so swollen! And it freaking HURT bad... So, I called Hermana McMullin and she told me I had to stay in the house all day and elevate it and ice it and stay off of it... So, that is what we did yesterday. I can like barely walk. But, the good news is that last night, it was hurting SOO bad, but this morning, it is doing a lot better. So, I think I will be good as new in a couple of weeks. I just walk really slow... Also, I had to buy like this brace to wear. But, I`m all good.

That is our week. Today for p-day, we have a zone activity in Aregua (that place that is like a lake with a beach that I have sent pictures of before...). And they are going to play soccer and volleyball and have like a BBQ. So, that is what we are doing. But, I am probably just going to be sitting downt the whole time... Haha. And then I will probaby rest some more and I have to ice my foot when we get back home. LOVE YOU ALL! Have a great week. 

Love, Hermana Whittaker

Initial reaction when they found they were no longer companions...

April 6, 2015 - Week 66

So, I feel like lots of stuff happened this week! But, only cuz we took a lot of pictures... But, for reals, it was a full week. First of all... It was Easter and conference! The 2 were both great. I loved conference (like always) but, we had to watch it in Spanish cuz the english wasn`t working... But, it was still good. The last time I will see conference in Paraguay... Wow. But, I loved it. They talked A LOT about marriage and the family... Next step??? HAHAHA just kidding! But, it was great. I really liked the talk about helping people who have lost their way come back. Also, one of the spanish speakers, Jorge F. Zaballos is like a leader for our area over here! So, that was cool! And it was so cool how like every speaker remembered decided to talk about Christ cuz it was Easter. I thought it really showed just how much we really do only believe in Christ. We don`t adore Joseph Smith or the prophet... Just Jesus Christ. And so I loved that everyone talked of his resurrection and stuff. It was great.

The Rabbit Farm

 This week... We just had tons to do, I feel like. We started off great and on Tuesday, we met an elder that just got back from his mission that is in our ward. Elder Souza (he is the son of that family that is Brazilian--but they`re not members...) And he is super cool! We hung out with them and his mom has like lots of desires to get baptized! So, we are working with her on that! But, we just had a blast with them. On Thursday, they gave us lunch and it was pretty delicious. We ate rabbit... So that was fun. Haha I would say in honor of Easter... But, we usually eat that with them cuz they are the owners of a rabbit farm... So, we took a lot of pictures with their bunnies! Then, that night we did a fun family home evening with some recent converts, Familia Nuñez. They are just so cool. We talked a lot about the family and stuff and our responsabilities as parents and children. And then, we ate dinner with them. We had just like meat and sausage... Typical Paraguayan asado. But, it was fun. We celebrated for Semana Santa. 

A trip to the Temple

Then, on Friday, we went to the temple! The story is that my companion had a member in her old area that she worked with that was going in for her endowments and so she was going to go as well AND that we had our recent convert, Tito, who was going to do his baptisms for the dead for his family history for the first time and we were going to go with him (and Hermana Bautista was going to come--cuz with her, we worked with him on it) and we were just all going to do it on the same day so it would be a lot easier!! Like a 3 companionship deal. Sounds like a great plan, right? And it would have been... But, Friday of Semana Santa in Paraguay is like a huge holiday (cuz it is the day that Christ died) and NO ONE works. Like NO ONE. So, there would be no form of transportation (there are only very few to no colectivos). So, we had to end up cancelling Tito`s visit to the temple and went for Hermana Valenzuela`s person from her area. We got on a taxi (that we had to call in advance) and went to the temple. When we got there... She went with her old comp from her old area in to do the session and I went back to her old area with her old comp`s comp... (if that makes any sense) Basically... We did a division. And after waiting for a colectivo for an hour and a half... We went to ``Mariano Roque Alonso´´ and did a division! I was with Hermana Mera from Mexico and she is just so cute! She is like super new in the mish... Still in her training. But, we had a good division. We visited a few investigators. It went well! Then, we all four just slept at the house in Mariano. So, me and Hermana V had to sleep on the floor. It was pretty horrible. Like I felt beat up in the morning. But, it was a fun day. We got lots done! And Saturday morning, we got on a colectivo and went back to Capiata for conference! 

Hermana Valenzuela & Hermana Whittaker - April Fools!

Ok... So, you all know that this past Wednesday was a very important date... It was April 1, 2015. So, we (being us) definitely did an April Fool`s joke!! It was so funny, but yet so simple. And this is what we did... We dressed as eachother!! Haha like completely.. You just have to see pictures. So, you`ll definitely be getting a lot. I just hope our families find it as funny as we do! Cuz, we seriously did everything exactly like eachother! Even changed our plaques. And that`s how we looked ALL DAY. It was great. A lot of the members noticed, so it was just a great idea :)

So, that was our fun week. Also, we made chocolate chip cookies for all the elders and hermanas in our zone for Sunday conference and I saw lots of cool people again! It is always so cool to see all of the people you`ve met at stake things like conference. Also, we painted EASTER EGGS!! They are so cute! We just had to.... It was way fun! And earlier in the week, she showed me some acrobatics. It was pretty hilarious. And so we just had a super fun week. 

Well, tomorrow we find out about changes. I am thinking we will stay together just cuz I was with my last companion for only one change and I don`t even have that much time in my area yet.... But, we will see what happens. Anything is possible. Just hopefully we don`t have them! But, you`ll all know next week.

Today... We had a super cool p-day cuz we went to Itaugua to but a TON of stuff! So, we are both very happy about that :) And it was just a fun and chill p-day. I hope you all had a great Easter this weekend! I love you all so much and I wish you the best semana. LOVE YOU TONS!!!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker