March 16, 2015 - Week 63

Hermana Whittaker and Valenzuela and a cake frosted with pudding.

So, we had a good week. But, it was pretty average. Not as fun as seeing every person that I know in the Stake Conference kind of week, so this letter might be a bit short!! Haha but we had a fun week. We just worked and stuff and did all that we needed to do! We did not have the baptism of Samuel though... So that was sad. It fell through and actually will not be happening any time soon.. But, it`s ok! He is a really cute kid who really has the right desires to want to be baptized and stuff... But, there is no way that he would be able to endure to the end and keep his covenants and stuff at this point in time. Long story short... His parents are divorced and they are just in this high school relationship. Like the whole... ``No.. I won`t talk to you and he won`t talk to me... ´´ Soooo, it`s just dumb cuz we are like stuck in the middle! And we aren`t here to be the parents... Just to teach and minister to their needs!!! But, that is what is up with that situation...

On the other hand... Lucia is getting baptized this Friday and we are so excited!! We have just been having the greatest lessons with her lately and she knows like SI O SI that this is the true church and that she is making the right decision! We are just like beyond happy for her! So, that is going to be great. Also, I just love teaching with my companion... (thought I would say so) We just do it so well together! Don`t get me wrong... It`s definitely the spirit and all... But, we are stellar together!! So, that is the news for this week! Super excited for this baptism and stuff... :)

Hermana Valenzuela and her apple trick!

So, I am still best friends with my companion and we are just having a blast and a half together... Something super funny that happened this week was that one night.. Hermana Valenzuela was a little  bit crazier or hyper-er than usual... And she just like shouts in the house.. ``I JUST HAVE SOOO MUCH ENERGY!!´´ Then she gets this large stick of ice we have in the fridge and breaks it in half with her hands... THEN... She grabs a frying pan we have and tries to break that in half... Didn`t work obviously and I told her she shouldn`t try it... AND THEN... She gets an apple out of the fridge and breaks it in half with her bare hands!!!!!! It was literally the funniest thing that  I have ever seen! I laughed for a good 10 minutes... Like crying-laughing... So FUNNY!!

And also... We found 2 other scorpions in the house last Monday! So, I`m thinking we have one of those crazy infestations.. Haha not really. But, we killed them and then we sprayed the whole house with permitrina (which will kill ALL bugs...) and from that point... We haven`t found anymore... Well, one little tiny one (the other day) but we killed it really easy. And so, we are good now :)

The snake display from the "zoo".

Last Monday... We went to the ``zoo´´ and it wasn`t open. And it wasn`t even a zoo really... Just like a crappy place. But, we had fun with our zone! We just made everyone laugh all day (my companion and I) and got lost on a colectivo... Typical stuf. And we went to this weird museum and saw a bunch of like snakes in jars and stuff. I don`t even know.... But, it was fun. Today... We have just been shopping around for stuff.... Umm like souvenirs?? Haha but it`s not like I have little time left or anything..... ;)

 

So, that is that! I love you all so much and hope you have the greatest week ever!! CHAU!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

March 9, 2015 - Week 62

Well, this week was awesome!! First of all... We are having a baptism on Saturday! Samuel, the son of one of our recent converts, Tito, will be getting baptized on the 14th of March! We are so excited for him and he is super excited, too. He is 9 and just loves the church and stuff.. So, we are super excited for his special day. Also, our other investigator, Lucia, will be getting baptized in two weeks! Her date is the 20th of March. So, that is cool, too. I actually love the difference I have seen in her. It is the coolest thing. We have actually been working super hard with her so that we can help to her REALLY know that the church is true.

 It`s been so cool! Like ever since we have stopped counting numbers in the mission so that we can really FOCUS on the people and their needs... I have seen like miracles! It is really awesome. I remember when we first started teaching her (with her husband, Joel) that she was just kinda interested... But when we really get in there and find out was SHE needs as a person and how we can help her... We have seen the blessings! And that`s when I know and when I am sure that this really is the Lord`s work. Like it`s gotta be! He really is serious when he says, time after time in the scriptures, that He will help us in the work if we just do our part! We do everything in our power to help the people.. And he does the rest! I love it cuz it shows me that the promises really are true cuz I have experimented with it and IT WORKS! Haha that is just what I have been feeling lately. I love that we can teach and help the people not just to baptize so that they can just go inactive.. That does nothing. But to help them so they can know for themselves that this church is true and that it is the only true church on the face of the earth and to have a strong testimony to always endure to the END!!  So... We are super excited about her baptism!! And for Sam`s baptism..

Hermana Betty, Daihana & Micaela (Aratiri) and Julie (Itaugua)

Now I will talk about the Stake Conference we had... Remember how I have been in the same stake my entire mission?? Well, you can only imagine what it was like at the conference this week! I just know EVERYONE! But, really... It was so cool to see all the people I love in one place. I was just nonstop smiling for like 3 hours!! But, I got to see everyone from Itaugua and it was so cool... Including Lourdes, Sandra, and Natalia Maldonado.. Who were the first people I taught that got baptized! So, that was sweet! And guess what... Sandra is going on a mission!! She is just waiting for her call! So, I told her that si o si when she knows where she is going and when she goes to the temple... She has to let me know so I can go with her to see her and all! I am so happy!! They are the coolest people ever. Then, I see Angel!! Remember him?? He is that little 14 year old boy that was the first to get baptized in his fam... He went ALONE to the conference. He is the coolest kid ever!! Still strong! It was literally amazing to see all of these great people that (after a year!!) are still going strong in the church!! I can`t even express how happy I am! Then, I also see like everyone from Aratiri. Hugo with his daughters, Malena and Luz were there and they`re still going strong!! And, I find out that Hugo has received the priesthood now! WHAT?! Cool, right?? I am just so happy for all these people. I love them with all my heart and I can`t wait to visit them again... :)

Anyways... That was my awesome experience at conference.. Oh ya... And all the talks and stuff were great. President and Hermana McMullin were there and gave good talks as well. And so that is that! It was fun. Also, we just had a good week. I am so so so HAPPY with my new companion. Scratch that... She isn`t even my companion cuz she is my BEST FRIEND. But for realz.. Hermana Valenzuela is the coolest and we just kill it together. Not only is it like the best friendship just in like regular life when we talk and stuff... But also I have just learned like so much from her on like missionary things. We teach so well together!! I love it :) But, she is the kind of person that si o si will be in my life like probably... Forever. Haha but we are just insanely happy and excited stuff to be together.

 

So, that is my week! We are going to like the zoo or something today for p-day with our zone...  That should be fun.. Maybe. But, I`m excited. Also... We found a scorpion in our house last night!! In the bathroom. And we killed it. Well, Hermana Valenzuela killed it. But, it was scary! Have a great week! LOVE YOU!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

March 2, 2015 - Week 61

Hermana Whittaker & new companion Hermana Valenzuela

Ok... I got changes of companions and you`ll never guess who it is!!!! MY COMPANION IS HERMANA VALENZUELA!!! I am like pretty positive that I told you guys about her forever ago when I was in the CCM in Argentina... But, she is like my BFF! Also she looks like Emma Watson. She is American but grew up in Mexico for like her childhood, so she was only in the CCM for 2 weeks instead of 6 cuz she spoke fluent spanish. But, we became like so close in those 2 weeks and NOW SHE`S MY COMPANION! The best part is that we always... Like ALWAYS would talk about how we were going to be companions at the end of our missions and finish our missions together... We never thought it would happen!! Haha we are both like so happy!

Hermana Whittaker & Hermana Bautista

Anyways... We got changes and Hermana Bautista is like super sad and stuff cuz she has been in Anahi for like 7 and a half months and stuff... But the good news for her is that she went to Itaugua. My first area!! So, I was so happy for her cuz I love those people!! But to be honest, at first I did not want changes cuz I like just got used to being with Hermana Bautista and stuff... But Hermana Valenzuela....?! Like YEAH! I was so excited!! So, hopefully I keep up my spanish and stuff cuz now I`m with an American and it`s nonstop english... Haha but I`ll be fine. Not even worried about it.

Ok... So not only are we like best friends... But we are literally the same person!! I am not even kidding a bit. We like think the same about everything and it`s so cool! We have the same mind. It`s kinda really weird. But, I just don`t think I have laughed this hard in like 14 months!! We are the funniest people you could ever meet!! You don`t even wanna know how much we talk. It`s like ridiculous. But, it`s been so great. Like SO great. You don`t even know how much fun I am having!! It`s AWESOME! And I probably sound like a little bit like I`m overexaggerating, but I honestly feel this way! This will probably be my favorite companionship. We are gonna be so great together! And we`re gonna change Paraguay together!! ;)

So... More things for this week is that we had a wedding?? Haha like the weirdest thing happened, but there is this family (familia Figueredo) that have been members for a while (like 12 years) but they never got married. The guy is a returned missionary from Chile and he is so cool and the girl is from Argentina and she is so cool, too, but like 2 weeks before I got here... They got married (like civily) and they are like coming back to church and stuff. They are so cute and it`s just great. Well, anyways... They have some friends that like totally wanted to follow their example and stuff and told us that they wanted to get married, too. And the familia Figueredo like told us that we should start teaching them and stuff and so then my companion (Hermana Bautista--at the time) like calls the judge to set a date for a wedding and she sets it for the 27th of Feb. And then it comes around and I call everyone to really see if all this is gonna go through and stuff and then... BAM.. We have a wedding Hermana Valenzuela`s like second day here!! And it`s just awesome. So, they are now married and we are gonna start to teach them!! Hopefully this couple is like super prepared for baptism!! 

Wondering how the wedding happened - but it's cool!

Anyways... Another cool thing is that we totally had the BEST lesson ever with our investigator Lucia and we put a date on her for baptism. 20 of March. So... We are gonna be having a baptism!! She came to church yesterday and everything!! That`s cool, right?? And her husband (Joel) has to work a little bit harder on things with reading the Book of Mormon cuz he has his legal problem that keeps him from being able to get baptized... But, he`s doing good! Like they are just great... I love em. But, she is gonna get married soon, so we are so happy!!

And we just had like a great week. Like so good. I can`t even believe, though, that February is over now. How fast was that?? Like I knew it would be fast cuz there are only 28 days in February so it`s not even like a real month...... But wow. It FLEW. And it was pretty sad cuz like all my other best friends went home... :( Not really, but like Hermana Hunt and Braunersrither and Elder Laura... Everyone. But, it`s all good!! That is the mission, right?? I`ll see em all again and I am just super happy for this new change and companionship and all the cool blessings we are always seeing!! It`s so cool and this gospel is real! I know it and I LOVE it!! Have an amazing week... I love you more than life!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

February 23, 2015 - Week 60

Wow. Well, tomorrow we will know if we have changes. That is just crazy to me. The time has gone by so fast and I think it feels even faster cuz I am in a new area and stuff. But, it has been a great change. I don`t know if we will have changes. My companion has like 7 and a half months in her area, so chances are she`s gone... Which I do not want! I seriously love that girl. I would love another change with her. So, maybe miracles will happen.. And if not.. It`s God`s will :) But, it would be awesome. You guys will all know in a week! 

Hermana Whittaker a little freaked over incoming storm!

But, this week was another good one. We actually visited a lot of people, so that was good. We also had our zone conference. It was interviews, too. So, we got to learn some things and have an interview with President. So, it went good. The truth is, I learned so much! My interview went great. That guy is just so cool and I learn so much from him! Also, we had ´´stations`` to learn on how to set goals and stuff. But, they put a twist on it and related setting goals in the mission to setting goals in your real life! And they started talking about like marriage and all that crap... Wow it was a shocker. Haha I`m still too young!! But, it was actually a really good capacitation and we learned tons. Also, as companions we set a ton of goals this week and we are doing pretty good with keeping them! So, that is good. One of our harder goals is lose weight... Haha it`s just so hard! But, we are working with that.

Hermana Whittaker found a wall that describes her...

 But, we had a great Sunday again. 68 people in church! So, we`re going good! Also, our investigator that we have had for like 3 months (she was an investigator when I got here...) came to church yesterday for the first time! She is really cool and will totally get baptized, but she was just too lazy to come to church. But, she came! And her husband was beyond happy that she came with him cuz he, also, is an investigator that has been coming every week for like 3 months... He is so cool! They got married civilly like the week before I got here and everything. The only thing is... He can`t get baptized yet. We are working with him on that. But, they are such a cool family and we are so excited cuz she came and now we can work with her for her baptism!! Their names are Joel and Lucia.

Hermana Whittaker with her companion and Suzana

 So, that is all that happened this week. It was a really good one. I can`t believe how fast it went by, though. Super fast. And this change, too. WAY TOO FAST! But, that is the mission! Have a great week! LOVE YOU!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

February 16, 2015 - Week 59

So, this week was good. We had some really good days and especially yesterday. It was another good Sunday. We had like 57 people in church, so it dropped a bit, but it is still a lot better than what we usually have!! So, that was good. Then, after chuch, we visited a lot of people and had some really good lessons. We are pretty sure that there is this kid named Samuel that is 9 that will get baptized in March, so that is good news! He is the son of one our recent converts and we loves chuch... So we are helping him out.

Also, that guy from Spain, Antonio, totally came to church again! But, he looked so different! Turns out that he got a job as a taxi guy through one of our other recent converts! So, he is like working and stuff, and came to church again! Amazing what kind of blessings we can receive from the Lord, right? Like, one Sunday in church and now he`s got a job and is doing great! Also, he came in a dress shirt and everything! When the other week he showed up in jeans and a tank top... Haha and that`s ok and all... But I`m just saying that there is a huge difference in him. But, we still don`t know if we can teach him so he can get baptized cuz we aren`t exactly sure where he lives permanently... But, it`s cool that he comes to church and stuff now!! 

We also have received some really cool references from members this week that we are gonna visit. They are probably some potential baptisms and stuff. So, that should be awesome, right?? Also, we contacted a family last night on the way home that is really cool. They were so nice! We just went up to them to give them a contact card and invite them to church and they like gave us water and talked with us a bit... Cool! So, we will see how they are and be passing by for them again!

So, that is about all that happened this week. We had a pretty good p-day, too. We went to visit a family that is in Aratiri (but in the elders area) and had another despidida with them (Familia Martinez) and Elder Laura. The hermana made us a delicious lunch and it was so fun! But, that is about all. Tomorrow we have zone conference/interviews with President... We`ll see how that goes. He`ll probably just drop cane like always.... HAHAHA ;) But, that is all for this week! I love you and have a great week!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker

February 9, 2015 - Week 58

Well, this week was a really good one. Especially yesterday. It was a great Sunday for us. All week was pretty good. We worked hard and stuff and then on Sunday... It was like a huge blessing!! We had like 66 people in church. And that was in sacrament meeting. That is what counts! We have had like 44 every week since I´ve been here and this week it shot up by 20 people! We were so shocked and so happy. Also, there was this guy that showed up named Antonio and he is from Spain. He just decided to come to the chapel to see what it was like. He doesn´t have a place to live and is alone just searching for a job. Anyways, it was cool that he came and later on that day... We found out that like 3 of our recent converts like totally helped him out and are trying to help him in the process of getting his documents all together so that he can go back to Spain (like he wants). But, it was just so cool to see how awesome our members are and how willing they are to help out other people. People that they don´t even know. We were able to talk with him and found out that he really had kinda a cool experience. He was just going along and all of the sudden, he heard a voice in his head that said ´´follow me´´. He literally heard a voice tell him that and he ended up at the church. So, it was a really cool experience. We shared with him a bit and he said that he would for sure come to church again. He also told us a lot about Spain and stuff. It was really cool. But, we will see what happens with him. If he progresses and stuff.

But, last night I was talking with my companion and we were talking about how happy we were to see our members be so willing and also to see lots of less active families come back to church. It was just really cool.

 

Other than our awesome Sunday, we also had divisions with the hermana leaders. It was fun but kinda sad cuz this is the last division that I will ever have with Hermana Hunt cuz she goes home in like 2 weeks. It went great though. We worked good and even visited one of her investigators in her area that is like golden. She seriously understands the lessons SO GOOD. She pretty much taught us. At the end of the division it was sad, but at the same time, we know we´ll see eachother again.

 

That is our week. Today for p-day we didn´t even do anything. We just slept and then ate lunch at a place and we bought a few things. That´s it! Have a great week and I love you all so much. More than you know... LOVE YOU

Love, Hermana Whittaker

February 2, 2015 - Week 57

Wow January came and went!! That`s crazy. But, this week was pretty good for us. 

We are still working with less active members and stuff cuz our whole area is full of less actives. Seriously. But, we are working with them. I met some more families in our area and they are so cool. For example. There is familia Muñoz and they are cool. At first, I thought that they were super serious, but then they were cool. And I like fell over in my seat in the middle of the lesson and they definitely got a kick out of that. Hahaha it was funny. But, they are cool. Also less actives, but we`re helping them out!

Also, we had a zone conference this week and if you thought that President dropped cane the other time that I said he dropped cane... That is just wrong. THIS time he really dropped the cane. It was harsh. But, we just had some really low numbers as a mission for baptisms in December and January. We all just need to work harder, but I am excited and stuff. We are gonna really look for some people in these next few weeks. So, it`s all good. We also ended up meeting the father-in-law of our mission leader in our ward and he is really interested in learning about the church and stuff and he came on Sunday!! So, that is cool. We will see if he progresses.. Also, speaking of people who came to church on Sunday... You`ll never guess.... HUGO AND MALENA AND LUZ came to visit me!! They came to my NEW ward to visit me. They said that they miss me a ton and I was just SOOO happy... Beyond happy to see them!! So, that was like the best surprise that I received this week. 

Also, the elders had a wedding on Saturday, so that was fun. We made the cake and it took a good two hours. Haha but it turned out pretty good. It was a beautiful wedding and the husband is the investigator that is going to get baptized. The only problem is that the elders found out that he actually lives in the boundries of a different ward and so he now has to get baptized in the other ward and stuff. But, it`s all good! He is gonna get baptized and that is what matters, right??

Hermana Whittaker and her cute companion

So, that was pretty much our week. It was pretty good. Also, today was pretty fun. We went to Pizza Hut with all my old friends! Haha with Elder Laura and the other elders in Aratiri and also the hermanas that we used to hang out with. So, it was like good old times. We went to celebrate that Elder Laura is going home soon! He only has like 3 more weeks, so we needed to celebrate with pizza... Haha but that is so weird, right? We are already halfway through this change. I cannot believe it. It is just weird to me.... The time goes fast. Well, that is my week! I love you all tons!!

Love, Hermana Whittaker