October 26, 2009 MTC

October 26, 2009

Whitney family,

I have had some really cool experiences already. We get to go to the referral center at least once a week. People will order videos and bibles and Book of Mormons from the church and we will accept the calls, make outbound calls or chat online with other people. My first real outbound call, when someone answered was this black guy from California. He had ordered a bible and so you call and confirm and stuff. I asked if he had ever heard of the BOM and I bore my testimony about how it was also the word of God and it could bring him closer to Christ. I asked if some representatives could come give him one and he said that would be way cool.
We get some pretty crazy chats too. I was also able to help this gay guy who really wanted to change. A lot of chats are just people who are wanting to argue though. The most common question is “so you mormons believe were gonna become Gods?” then they just start listing off scriptures they want you to read about how they think it isn’t true. Its way fun though doing all that, pretty scary. We teach 2 lessons in Spanish tonight. It’s our first time having to teach in Spanish. I’m way nervous cause I kind of feel behind in it. All of our lessons went way good in English though. The teachers pretend they are investigator then we go in and teach according to what their needs are. I made this teacher cry, the spirit was way strong, and the last English lesson we did was way good too. All she said was “wow” I don’t even have anything for you guys to work on, so maybe just ask the Lord what you could do better. That was with one of my roomies though cause my companion was sick for 5 days last week.

The trip to the Grand Canyon sounds fun, and I’m way sorry I missed Brighams birthday. I honestly don’t even keep track of the date in here. I was surprised to hear it was already the 20th of October. I heard the Vikings kicked the Packers, doesn’t matter though cause Favre will just go aback to throwing interceptions soon. This girl that works here lets me know about all the games cause she is a packers fan to. I heard college game day was also going to be in Provo this weekend for the first time ever. BYU at least better beat TCU and Utah.

My e-mail is zwhitney@myldsmail.net . Ya I’m pretty sure I can call you from the airport, I should get my flight plans here in two weeks or so. Aunt Michelle and aunt Barbara both wrote me so I need to write them back, will start on thank you cards too. Well got to go, but here are the shoes, you will see the bottom piece ripped off and it rubs my foot so I get blisters.

Love Elder Whitney

October 9, 2009

October 9, 2009

Dear Whitney Family,
Thanks for the letters and the package. The cookies are really good and the candy is always amazing. The coat is really good too. I wore it to the temple today. It gets pretty cold up here in the morning and we have to walk clear up to the temple at seven in the morning.
Conference was really good, and Jeffery R. Holllands talk about the book of Mormon was the best conference talk I have ever heard. I e-mailed Sinjin back today, he says Russia is really cool and he has already taught 3 lessons. Mike leaves Monday so its pretty crazy. I saw Mike Peterson today. He just barely got in so it was way nice to see him.
Can you please send me my other Nike shoes? These ones I have, some of the bottom part already ripped off and I have a huge blister on the bottom of my foot, and can’t play basketball. Sorry you have to spend all this money and stuff sending packages but I really need other gym shoes. A sweater for P-days would also be nice, and more thick socks for gym so my feet don’t blister. How was Park City? Also you could send up the pants and shirt too, I guess I could use them.
This Elder from Samoa just left our district and went to the Guatemala MTC. He was way tight and we got along good. We all learned the Haku and did it before he left. My whole district is all pretty athletic and gym is way intense.
I got letters finally from Jeff, Chase, Landon and Ryan so that was nice. Brent also wrote me this week too. Me and all of the elders have so much candy and food in our room its ridiculous. We have a way cool collage on our wall of the Chilean flag and pictures, it’s tight. Well G2G… Love you guys. I will send more pics.
Elder Whitney

October 2, 2009 MTC letter

Received on Friday October 2, 2009

Dear Whitneys,
It’s good to hear from all of you. I have been doing pretty good. It’s getting a lot harder and I feel behind on Spanish and on the doctrine. Me and my companion have taught the first lesson three times now at the teaching evaluation center. I don’t think we have been doing very well though. We are supposed to get to know the investigators and what there needs are and then teach them according to there needs. Its so hard to tie all the topics like prophets and Jesus Christo earthly ministry to families or people with no Christian background. My companion gets down on himself and thinks if the teacher says anything about how we should have done something different or that we need to work on something he gets all frustrated and says he hates it here. I told him to stop whining and stop feeling sorry for himself because I know we can teach better lessons, we just keep forgetting to personalize it (the lesson more). My companion got mad but we’re good now. I’m just a little worried about our teaching. But anyways our district is all still way close. And we are all good friends now.

Nieves (my companions last name) means snow in Spanish. I guess his dad is from Panama. We have to watch conference here at the MTC. There is now way they would ever let 2,000 of us go. It would be insane and way irreverent probably. that’s way cool that you got tickets though. Thanks for sending the money and some more pictures of my friends. I will send more pics next time but here is one of me and my companion.

You can hear the BYU game pretty good when your outside. But I haven’t actually heard anything yet cause we have to study in our classroom. I’m just taking the word of other elders. My district leader is from Mesa, Arizona. He is pretty cool. We just moved in with him and Elder Yeakly form Boise last night. Our district leader got in trouble for moving us in though cause he didn’t clear it with the branch president first. We ;moved in cause we both were the only two in both rooms and we got new missionaries in our branch today and we didn’t want to risk getting nerdy roomies.

It’s getting kinda cold. Today it rained. And I kinda wished I had a jacket. Everyone else in my district has one right now. Gym is way fun. I play basketball pretty much every time. We sometimes will have district soccer or sand volleyball but we are athletic and stuff. So its tight.
Elder Fuimono is from Samoa and he played rugby. We got along way good. But he is going to Guatemala and leaves here for the Guatemala MTC in five or six days. Which sucks! He is 21 and is way cool. Oh yea by the way there are 17 MTCs around the world just in case you didn’t know.
In gym I usually have to guard this DL recruit black albino kid that’s 6’6 and amazing. He can dunk it pretty much whenever. I’m getting pretty good and can dunk it and stuff. My feet hurt though because of my turf toe.

We don’t sing “Ye elders of Israel” but have devotionals every Tuesday and Sunday night. They are way good. The president of Dixie State spoke last night. It was way good.

Thanks so much for the package and the card. It’s all way good food. And candy is always useful. My companion says thanks too!

Got to go write you later.
Love Elder Whitney