June 29, 2015 - Week 79

Companions being dorks...

Well, I did it! I served a full-time mission in Paraguay!! I am so happy. I have a ton of different feelings running through my head right now and it is just crazy... But, it`s all good! To start off, I thought that I would just have you all know that on Saturday, Karen and Marcelo were MARRIED and then Karen was BAPTIZED!! It was just the best ever. Definitely the best way to end the mish. I was so happy for them. We have worked so much with them and I can`t even explain to you the difference in that family. They are just so cool and happy and they have such a testimony!! So, it was a bit of a stressful day and all, but in the end... Everything turned out PERFECT! And, to just mention, Paraguay won the game in futbol (soccer) and made it to finals!! It was crazy!! Like they literally won the game (against Brazil) and then everyone was like screaming and stuff in the streets and then ALL of the invited people came like barging into the chapel for the wedding. And we just had a wedding! And then a baptism and it was the best day ever. So, that is the big event for this last week.  

Well family.... It`s about to be all over. This is my last letter to you all from Paraguay and it is pretty weird to think about it like this... But, hey.. It had to end at some point! I really have had such a great experience here. I honestly have learned things that I NEVER thought I would learn on a mission. I have met people and loved them like I NEVER thought I would before. I really have loved the mission. For sure there have been the ups and downs and many times where I have wanted to just go home already and also the many times when I just wanted to live with the people here and be a part of their family. I have experience hot, hot, HOT and HUMID weather and also rain up to my shins weather, and I have also felt the spirit the most strongly I have ever felt in my entire life. I have loved being here in Paraguay and I wouldn`t trade the time that I have had here for anything. I don`t really bare my testimony too often on the letters that I have sent home... But, I just want you guys to know that I really do know that this is the true church. I honestly have NO doubt about it. I know that this IS the church that Christ built. He is our Savior and He did die for us. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and listens to us. He is our Father and loves us SOOO much. I know that we have a prophet that lives and guides us. He also loves us and really does speak with God and receives the revelation that we need in these days. I know that the priesthood is real and that it can do miracles. I KNOW that the Book of Mormon is true. It is the truest book on the face of the earth. It is literally the evidence that we have that Heavenly Father loves us and that He has restored His gospel. And I know all of these things... Because I have felt it. I have really been able to experiment for myself and KNOW that what we do as Latter-day Saints is true and that we are in HIS church. And there is only one. I know it with all of my heart. 

Last P-Day at Pizza Hut

I love you guys so so so much and you honestly have no idea how excited and happy I am to see you guys again!! I can`t believe that the time has come, but I am STOKED!! I love you so much and want to thank you for every letter that I have ever received in my mission from you guys! They helped me soooo much! I know that I honestly have LA MEJOR FAMILIA EN EL MUNDO!! And I am soooo grateful for that. I know that we are going to be able to be together forever with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ one day in neverending happiness (Mosiah 2:41--my fav scrip) and I am even more stoked for that :)

Con muchísimo amor siempre, Hermana Chloe Whittaker

June 22, 2015 - Week 78

Hermana Whittaker's countdown chain

Well... Freaking we`re in the last week of my mission. I never thought this would happen! It has always seemed so long! But, I am so excited and happy and also nervous and sad.... It`s just a lot of feelings... But, I will have you know that it is mostly happy and excited!!

Well, this week was a good one. It went by pretty fast, too. There honestly wasn`t anything super cool that happened. Just been working and like preparing mentally and all to go home... ;) But, it has been a good week. We had a really good lesson with Gabby, one of our investigators. She is doing great, but sadly won`t be able to get baptized while I am here. But, I am not even worried about that. If there is one thing I have learned on the mission it`s that everyone is different and sometimes there are people that are prepared, but they just need more time! And Gabby is one of those. She will for sure get baptized at some point and that is the only thing that matters. But, anyways, she is so cool and we had a great lesson. We started out with The Sabbath Day, but in the end she was just asking like millions of questions about the temple! So, that was cool. She definitely wants an eternal family :) But, we just had a chill week.

Drinking Mate Dulce

We drank mate dulce like every night this week with Karen and Marcelo cuz it was like freezing! We are getting into the cold now... So, that has been fun. How lucky that I am coming home before it gets really cold, right?? ;) Anyways... We just had a fun week. Also, on Wednesday, we had out zone meeting, but it was actually a mission meeting! All of the zones that are close to Asuncion (which are 6 out of the 8 cuz the other 3 are like 7 hours away...) had a reunion with a 70. Elder Gonzales came and spoke to us. It was really good, but mostly cuz I got to be with Hermana Valenzuela a WHOLE DAY! Haha it was great. But, it was a really good conference.. Even if it was just like sitting in one spot for like 5 hours... ;)

Hermana Whittaker with ALL but two (went home already) companions!

Well, that is pretty much my week. This one is going to be CRAZY! Cuz not only is it my last week.... But, also I got to go to Anahi today to visit the people and also Hermana Libertee Valenzuela... And on Wednesday, I have my LAST interview with President! I had to like print out some questions that all the missionaries that are going home have to fill out and then have an interview with Pres about it... So, that should be fun... Also, we have to plan the WEDDING and BAPTISM that we are going to have on Saturday!! This is seriously going to be the best last week a missionary could have... And the more busy I am, the faster it will go.... ! But, wish me luck that I can make it through this week and yeah!! Love you guys so much!! I hope you have a great week, too! It`s the LAST one!!
Love, Hermana Whittaker

June 15, 2015 - Week 77

Only two weeks left... whoa. Well., this week was a good one. Not too much happened. Our baptism was cancelled... BUT for a good reason!! In the end of everything.... Karen is going to get married to Marcelo on the 27th of June and she is going to get baptized after. So, it`s just a lot better! I am so happy and excited for them. It`s great cuz now they can be an eternal family in one year! It`s just great. But, we are happy and all. Well, that is the news with Karen. they are just doing great together too. They are like always coming to church and reading the BOM and just doing everything so great. We actually did a special fast with them and everything this week! And even though we didn`t have the baptism on the 13th... We still celebrated Karen`s birthday and everything! We showed up at her house with some peruvian food that my comp made and a cake that I made! She was so happy and surprised to see us! So, it`s just all great.

As for other things... We are still teaching Gabby, but she is still like weird. It`s like she is scared to ask God if what we say is true cuz she knows that she`ll get an answer! Haha but we help her anyways and stuff... So, that is good. I just love her and want so much for her to get married and baptized!! Anyways.. Hopefully she can pray and stuff. In fact, we had a great lesson with her the other day about the gospel of Jesus Christ and she told us that she really understood and all and that she understands the importance of baptism. And at the end of the lesson she told us that she would seriously pray and ask. So, we`ll see! But, they didn`t come to church yesterday even though they said they would...  But that is probably just cuz it was raining and we are in Paraguay...

But, that was my week! Last p-day, we went to Itaugua and I visited the families there and it was so great! I loved seeing everyone again. It was actually not even sad when I had to say goodbye and stuff. I know Ill see them again... At SOME point in my life :) But, that is pretty much it. Just living it up while I can... But I am stoked to come home! Wow... 16 days.. Can you believe it? I actually can`t... But.. I love you all so much and have a great week!!!!! :)

Love, Hermana Whittaker

June 8, 2015 - Week 76

Well, obviously the highlight of the week was Diana`s baptism! It was the greatest thing ever. Anyways... It was a great experience. For reals. She was just so happy and she was just SO beautiful!! So, it was cool. It was actually a really funny story. So, the baptism was on Saturday, and she got to the chapel and everything on time. Things were going great and stuff... Then, we start the service and all. Things are fine. She is like super happy and one of the returned missionaries that helped us out a lot to teach her (Ben) did a talk on repentance, then another girl, Teresa, did a talk on the Gift of the Holy Ghost... Everything is fine. Then, we had a cool special number and I sang with that kid Ben ``Be Still My Soul´´... In english (cuz he speaks fluent english) and his sister accompanied us on the violin. So, that was pretty. Diana is like crying to much and things are just great. Then... It`s like her turn to go and get baptized and all. Well, we are like sitting and waiting still to go to the font and like we were kinda confused cuz no one was saying anything... Then, all of the sudden, the 2 doors to the font (where the people can see the baptisms) like start to move like someone is trying to open them from inside the font (cuz it was locked)... So, it was kinda weird and then all of the sudden.. THE DOORS FLY OPEN! And we just see Pable (the one that baptized her) in his white clothes and he totally BROKE THE DOORS to open them.

Apparently, in the moment of the baptism, there were no keys to unlock the font... So, he had permission last minute to BRAKE it open. It was the funniest experience ever and I just didn`t even understand what was going on... But, that is cool, right?? I don`t now how many others have had that experience in their mission, but I will definitely always remember it. I even had a piece of wood from the doors as a recuerdo! Hahaha So, that was the baptism. She was just so happy. After that, we all went (me, my comp, Diana, Ben, and Pablo) to eat pizza to celebrate. So, it was fun :)

Yesterday was the confirmation and that guy Ben confirmed her.. It was so great! And we had a great Sunday. Hugo, Malena, and Luz came from Aratiri to visit me in Luque and so that was cool! It was so cute cuz Malena got up and bore her testimony and stuff and like no one even knew where she was from... Cuz she is from another ward.. But, it was cute! It was my last fast Sunday in Paraguay and that was kinda weird... But yeah. Also, our other investigators that are preparing for baptism were there. So, that was great! Karen is getting baptized this week, so that should be fun. We are stoked for her and she is so excited! This Saturday, the 13th, she will be baptized and it`s her birthday, too! She turns 20. Anyways, it should be a great week. We are way excited.

Well, as for today, we are going to go to Itaugua to visit my area. I am kinda feeling weird about it. It will be the last time I see them and I just never thought this day would come. Well, the last time I see them for a while. Cuz I definitely want to come back eventually! But, it`s just weird to think. I only have 3 weeks left. That is crazy! That is like nothing... But, I will just enjoy it. We had interviews with President at our zone conference on Thursday... It went well. President pretty much just talked to me about going home and never forgetting about the people. Like always helping them out even from far away. Facebook, insta, Whatsapp (everyone here uses that app and I don`t even know what it is yet...) but, just stuff like that. I already knew, obviously, but it was just cool. He told me that I am going to for sure finish my mission strong cuz he can just tell that I am pretty focused. Later, my comp told me that in her
interview, he told her that he can`t believe all that we are doing and the way that we are working in my last change. Cuz usually missionaries that are going home just quit working early, you know? Haha so that made me feel great!

Well, that is that... I am starting to get a little bit sad about the
whole mission ending! But, I am stoked to get home!! LOVE YOU!!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

June 1, 2015 - Week 75

WOW. Only one month. That is pretty much like nothing. Haha, but a lot can happen in one month! Like, we are super excited cuz we are going to have a baptism on Saturday. Diana is like so ready and she is so excited. It`s just been great. I feel like she is like my sister or something... But, she is stoked and stuff for her baptism. Then, not only that.. But, Karen (the investigator that needs to get married) is actually getting baptized on the 13th! The next week... She actually is not getting married now cuz she split up with her boyfriend. It is kinda sad and a way long story.. But, all in all, it is a lot better for everyone. And she is like so excited, too, cuz she wants to get baptized. So, that is the other good news. As for Gabby, I think we might have to change her date for one more at the end of June. But, it`s ok. She is just really investigating and we don`t have like a ton of opportunities to teach her. She is pretty busy with work all the time, but she is doing well. She has come to church like 5 times now and is reading the Book of Mormon. So, we`re all good.

Also, this week we contacted a guy and taught him the restoration... And we did it SOOO good! Well, obviously it wasn`t us... It was the Holy Ghost... But, he understood so well and even told us in the end that it all made sense and he is thoroughly convinced of what we had to say.. Jeez I wish that everyone here was like that. Cuz it`s true!! Anyways... He didn`t come to church this week, but we have plans to visit him again and like straightup put a baptismal date with him. The work is going well.

In other news.. I am like super excited to go home. It is like pretty funny, actually, but like everyday this week, I have had dreams about going home. And the thing that has reoccured like 7 times since like every dream is that I forget to buy souvenirs! Haha it`s pretty funny though... Every dream is different. Like every situation. Sometimes you guys (my family) are there and I am at home or sometimes you guys are here in Paraguay and I am still a missionary with my companion... But everytime.. In the end I realize that I didn`t buy souvenirs! And then I feel all sad and stuff and regret it a ton.. But, then I wake up and realize that I still have time to do that! And the funny thing is... I am like buying them. So, I don`t know why my brain is like so worried at night about it. Anyways.. It`s pretty funny.

Family Home Evening with Familia Armoa

This week we pretty much just have our baptism that we are looking forward to. So, that is the best part. And also we have a zone conference on Wednesday. It will be my LAST zone conference of the mission. Usually when it`s the last, they make you give your GRAND testimony in front of everyone, but it is the month of interviews with President, so I don`t think that they will do it. And I don`t even know if I will be having an interview because I have to have the FINAL one at the end of my mission and with the number of people going home at the end of this month... He might just save us ``last-changers`` for the last p-day we have here. Which is in 4 short weeks. By the end of this week, we will be halfway done with this change. CRAZY. Anyways.. That is like all for this week. I am looking forward to it being the end of the week cuz or Diana`s baptism and then next p-day... I am going to visit the people in Itaugua! Also... Today marks only 30 more days... LOVE YOU ALL! Obviously, cuz I am having dreams about you every freaking night!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker