July 16, 2011

Hey Family!

That’s so awesome that Maddie got home! I love you maddie, its way weird thinking that your home now, you had an awesome mission. I bet its way weird coming home, it made me a little trunky seeing those pictures, I’m not going to lie ha-ha. I guess I’m the only one that is missing ha-ha, its going to be so weird. Mom don’t worry about my cheek, its all good now, it only lasted a couple days, the doctor told me it was just a swollen gland for having a cold. I feel fine now. I’m way shocked and sad and I can’t believe it that one on my best friends Paul oaky got attacked by 2 tigers. I’m like freaking out right now, I love Paul, and he is seriously like one of my best friends. Please find more info on that, I already read a lot of articles, but maybe later you can see how he is doing or something. I’m like seriously about to cry.

This week was pretty good, we have had to go to presidente to do interviews with the missionaries like Tuesday Wednesday and Friday. We also went and dropped a missionary off at the airport. His name is afeaki, he is a huge Tongan, and he is way tight. Its so weird going to the airport and seeing the missionaries leave ha-ha I don’t like it that much. It makes me feel way weird. Ya we are working in the big church office right by the temple. You will come here I’m pretty sure on Monday September 20th and this will be the first place where I will see you I think. Was it was weird seeing maddie? I bet you were crying like crazy mom ha-ha, I bet it was just awesome though seeing and hugging her. CALEBBB!!!! Happy birthday bro.... I love you man. What are you going to do today for your birthday? I can’t believe you are fifteen! One more year and you will be driving! That’s way tight. You look bigger in the picture, are you working out? Brigham also looks a lot bigger, looks like you have been working out too. We have to go to the gym together when I get back it will be tight. I guess there was like a small earthquake yesterday in Valparaiso. I didn’t feel it, but we had to call all the missionaries to see if everyone was ok. Yesterday we had a talent show for our ward and we played and sung some funny Mexican song. I wore this sweet red jacket with a sombrero. It was way funny. We forgot to film it though. Well family I love you! Thanks so much for everything. I love you Maddie! I’m so glad you took the decision to serve a mission, and obviously you understand that and feel it right now. Thanks for everything you have done for me, and for the example that you have been, I look up to you a lot. Have fun, don’t hug too many boys.

Well pray for Paul please.

I love you guys!

Elder Whitney

July 9, 2011

Hey Family! Thank you so much for putting money in my account, I’m going to go buy a suit today for the last part of my mission and for after. This week was really good. The days are always so different ha-ha so that makes it so much more diverse. I love being AP. There is a lot of pressure and stress sometimes and a lack of sleep, but seriously it’s so so so cool. Definitely one of the biggest blessings I could have ever received on my mission. There are three of us right now, but Elder Saenz goes home in like three weeks, so it will just be me and elder Tilley my last 8 weeks or so. Elder Saenz is way awesome, I am going to miss him too after he leaves. We get along way good, and he is one of my good friends. This Monday we had a meeting with president and his wife, it was way good. I left that meeting just like so pumped and stuff. President really is so amazing, he told us all these stories and experiences and stuff. We talked a lot about the obedience, so that is what we are going to focus on as a mission right now. On Wednesday we had a meeting with the zone leaders and in that meeting I had to talk about the obedience and stuff for a little bit. I talked about how the zone leaders could do changes with the other missionaries in their zone to give them the perfect example of how to be obedient, and how to pump them up and get them excited. The meeting was really good. We also had to go be with president while he interviewed missionaries of other zones. In their interviews all the missionaries had to teach president lesson 1 in like 3 to 5 minutes, so before we would practice and teach the missionaries before they taught president. We had to teach lesson 1 like 30 times to missionaries ha.

This week we saw two huge miracles. On Thursday we ate lunch with this lady in our ward that is way awesome. She actually lived in Utah for a couple of years. She had met this lady on the phone that was looking for a job, and I guess they starting talking about the church, and she invited her over to listen to us. So we went over there to teach her at this member’s house and seriously she is like the most prepared person to receive the gospel than I have ever met. She is from Argentina, and her husband was way crappy or something so she left her house, her job, and everything to get away and restart her life basically. She is like way rich, (Like everyone in our sector) and way nice. She like told us these dreams that she had about going into like a big white building that looks like a tent, and that there was all these people sitting down and these two fat lady scooted over to make room for her so that she could sit down, and that there was a big wood stand thing in front with a pulpit where you could lay your books down to read them. And she said a man with a black suit and with black hair came to the stand and put the bible on the pulpit and started reading ha-ha we were like tripping out cause that's like exactly how the church is. In Argentina she actually had met with the missionaries before and they gave her a book of Mormon and she had read a little. We invited her to be baptized with out even teaching the rest of the lesson like the Restoration and Joseph smith and stuff and she accepted a baptismal date. It was way awesome, we invited her to church too and she was like o ya, so she is coming to church with us. After lunch we started a fast, because as a mission we are doing like a forty day and forty night fast, everyday one companionship fasts, but anyways we fasted until Friday and at lunch on Friday we made these way good nachos. Like five minutes after we said the prayer and started eating this guy calls and I guess it was this guy that had been inactive for a while, and he has a 14 year old daughter that goes to church every single Sunday but since she was eight he wouldn't give her permission to get baptized. But he told us that he wanted her to get baptized tomorrow! And that he had already called Elder Amado ( a member of the seventy that's in our ward) and that he was going to baptize her. So we get everything worked out, we got her an interview last night, and this morning she got baptized and confirmed, and it was like an amazing baptism. The musical number was incredible too. There is this family in the ward that sings and plays piano like professionally. The song was seriously incredible. So that was a huge blessing. The girl that got baptized is way awesome, and her family is way awesome too.

This ward is so sick because the members actually give us references and stuff. The ward missionary leader is so so cool too. He did like everything. He called everyone and printed out all the programs, and even came to the interview with us last night. A huge example of how to magnify your calling. It was a way awesome baptism. Elder Saenz was telling me a while back ago, that our work as assistants is way different, that instead of serving the people, we serve and help and teach the missionaries, but at the same time, with out almost spending no time in your sector the lord still provides if we sacrifice ourselves and to a good just with the calling we have.

Driving is also a huge blessing ha-ha I love it. I see so much more of Santiago and I just get to experience like a whole new view of the mission. Its just so awesome driving around and stuff. We don’t really have normal P days, we just have a little time to write our families and that’s it. We don’t even really do shopping cause sometimes were so busy preparing and doing stuff. If we need something to eat we just stop and get it in the night. We usually get back to the pension like at 11:30 and to bed at like 12, 12 thirty. Our department has a weight room, but I haven’t been able to go down there yet, because obviously it’s hard to work out when you got to leave early too.

2 days ago I woke up with a bump like below my ear and beneath my jaw line. And I just thought it might be an underground zit or something. But this morning I woke up and it hurts pretty bad and its like swollen. My left cheek is swollen too. I have no idea what it is but its way weird. My face looks lopsided, and I don’t know if it’s just me but it feels like the left side of my face is going a little numb. I’m going to have the doctor check it out. Ya we drive on p-day. We drive a ton every single day. Yesterday for example we had to go move these huge mattresses to another house and I drove this green ford truck that is a stick shift.

I love you family; I hope you have a great week. Thank you so much for everything!

Bye!

Love elder Whitney

July 2, 2011

Hey family!

This week was pretty crazy. It was way fun though, I don’t get that much sleep anymore and its way different. My comps are Elder Tilley (my old comp, and my really really good friend) and Elder Saenz (another way way good friend) He is from Juarez Mexico, and Elder Tilley is from Gilbert Arizona. I honestly didn’t think that I would be assistant cause I only have two changes left but The night before changes I couldn’t sleep at all and I was just twisting and turning in bed all night, and the thought like kept coming to my head and I just kept pushing it off, thinking that it was impossible. That morning I wasn’t going to shine my shoes or anything either cause we were like a little late, but I was still thinking about the assistant thing, so I hurried and shined them ha-ha. I guess the lord was warning me. I feel like the lord has prepared me my whole mission for these last two months. I am sooooooooooooooooo soooooooooo grateful for this opportunity. Seriously I can’t believe it. My last two changes are going to be so awesome. I have like the two best companions and a way good sector, and the other elders in the office are way awesome too, I always see them. One of them is Elder tooley who I helped train, he is in charge of the finances.

Driving is way tight! It was so weird after almost two whole years. We drive this sick KIA van around. And I have also been driving a ford pickup with a shell on the back. It’s crazy here in Santiago, there are a ton of one way streets, and sometimes 2 way streets turn into 1 way at certain hours of the day. On Monday, the same day as changes, we had to take all the missionaries to the airport and wait with them there, We got to bed like at 12:30, then we woke up that morning at like 2:15 to take all the Latin’s to the airport. We were there until like 10 in the morning, then we worked the whole day doing things around the mission and stuff, helping other missionaries move pensions and giving them stuff. We picked up all the new missionaries that got to the mission that same day too and had a meeting with them with all the trainers too. It was way cool; I got to talk to them about what is expected of us and stuff. That was a way cool experience; we were like the first missionaries that they saw as they left the tunnel at the airport. It was way weird too going back there after almost 2 years ha-ha. Its way fun though just serving the other missionaries and just cruising around Santiago.

I love the north part of the mission; I didn’t know it all before. Our apartment is really small but its way nice, it has a heated floor and stuff and it’s like automatic hot water. It’s not cold at all in there either; we actually sleep with the window open ha-ha. We don’t work that much in the sector cause we are always doing other stuff but we have had like 3 appointments so far. I have only met a couple of members so far but they are really good. I haven’t really seen president that much though since Tuesday, im sure I will see him on Monday though. We receive tons and tons of phone calls, it’s out of control. Missionaries are always asking to do stuff.

Thanks so much for the package! I got it last week, and it’s pretty much all gone too, just have a little bit of sour patch and recess pieces left. It was all way good, thanks a ton! I am way grateful for this opportunity that God gave me so that I can learn and grow more. I’m a little nervous to not live up to the expectations or to fail at something but I know that I will receive tons of help. I got a way good friend and an awesome comp at my side. If we don’t eat with the members we have like 7 dollars everyday to buy lunch, its way tight. Things are way expensive though here en las Condes, so sometimes it doesn’t go that far. That’s way tight that you got your drivers license Brigham, congratulations, that’s way weird to imagine. I guess you will be driving my car around huh? You can drive me places now, that’s tight. How was your football camp Caleb? Was it way tight? What position are you playing? Happy 4th of July, that’s cool your going to take the boat out. I’m excited to wakeboard when I get home, even though I won’t be good. I’m kind of sad cause Elder Wilkey went home, he was like my best bro her on the mish, I'm not sure if you saw him on the paper, he got back to St. George like on Tuesday or Wednesday. Today we have to get our hair cut and everything. I had to buy new shoes just so you know, the sole of my old one just fell off, it was pretty bad, they were all torn up and way ugly and holey. Well thanks so much for everything, have a way good week,

Bye! I love you! Elder Whitney

June 27, 2011

Dear family,

Hey my new p day is on Saturday because I'm one of the assistants now. So I will write you on Saturday. It was way random!

Until Saturday...

Elder Whitney

June 20, 2011

Happy fathers day dad!

I hope you had a good day yesterday, I love you and I'm really grateful for everything that you have done for me. Thanks a ton for your support and everything that you have taught me.

I had a good birthday; birthdays are pretty much just like any other day though ha, it was good though. The whole ward sang to me after church so that was cool. We also ate some completos and baked bread at some member’s house that invited us over. The American cup just started so everyone is like watching futbol all day. Chile’s team is pretty good, but I bet Argentina or Uruguay wins. Ha-ha my knuckles were all scraped up because this guy totally tried to jump us like a week ago, so I had to defend myself. No jk the walls in our pension are like way way rough. I was running up the stairs and scraped my hand against the wall. This week was pretty good, found a couple more people to teach not a lot of members came to church though because it was raining. I swear if it rains here nobody leaves there house. We are going to go back to that old ladies club soon to be able to watch the restaracion with them. We haven’t been able to go back since, because they only have it on Tuesday. It takes about 45 min to get to where the conferences are, we just have to walk to the metro. The zone conference was really good. Elder Ceballos from the seventy spoke to us. The whole conference was about the love of God, and how to develop and show it. It was way good. It’s way true that the focal point of our lives should be love. Love is what the two greatest commandments have to do with. I need to write Landon, I’m going to do it this week. I haven’t got my package yet but I should get it on Tuesday. Hopefully, if not that would be crappy. They have mosquitoes but barely any, I totally forgot about those. This is elder Vargas’s last week. I have two changes left. Pretty crazy. I can’t believe Maddys homecoming is in July. That’s so crazy; she will be home 2 months before me.

Well I love you guys thanks so much for everything, Have a good week!

Elder -Whitney

June 13, 2011

Hey familia! How are you? I’m doing pretty good, this week was pretty rough but we had fun. There were some less active people that we taught that made it to church so that was good, but still no investigadores. I’m sure this week we will find some and they will come.

That’s way tight that you got to stay in a beach house for a few nights free. That is a way long drive though wows. I don’t think I have ever been in a car for 9-10 hours straight. Just a plane ha-ha. What part of California is that? The north? I have heard that the beach and stuff in Chile is really pretty too so that should be fun.

This Thursday we have a zone conference and we are going to hear from Elder Seballos from the 70. I’m not sure if that’s how you spell his name but o well. This week we had some good lessons with people, its just been kind of hard getting a lot of them to church cause we are working a lot in this way poor ghetto part of our sector that’s far from the church, but I think were going to stop working so much there and go closer towards the church. Today we had a huge barbeque in the back patio, it was so good. We ate ribs, it was so good, and I’m still way full. Elder Vargas prepares the meat so good to be grilled. I will send you some pictures on my new camera.

Wow that’s crazy that the mavericks won, what the heck happened to Lebron and Wade and all them? I thought they were going to be like unstoppable.

I have to keep taking advantage of the time I have left in the mission to learn as much as I can and to be able to become a better person. I don’t know why I feel like this but I feel like I have to change so much about my self, I fee like I need to change and do all this stuff before I come home. This is the only church in the whole world and the only gospel that allows man kind to actually become better and more like Jesus, and to strive to become perfect. I want you guys to get a book of Mormon that the missionaries hand out and I want you to write your testimonies in there. You can pray and think about some people you could give it to. And give it to them. Or invite them to a Family home evening. The families here that really are the best are the families that help us, and care about missionary work. Strive to be one of those families. Share the gospel with people that will receive it.

On Sunday the presidente came to our ward and gave a talk about sharing the gospel. He said that it really is so easy to talk to people about the gospel. You just have to start talking about anything you want and then at the end of the conversation say, wow you really are a great person, are you Mormon? And if they say no say then say, well why not?! I want to keep sharing the gospel with everyone, even though it might come off uncomfortably for some people, it’s the truth, and it’s our responsibility to share it. We can’t be ashamed (Romans 1: 16) I’m way grateful that I finally understand a little bit more about the atonement of Jesus Christ. I understand more about true love and the severity of sin. It’s a huge blessing that I’m a missionary and that I was born in a family who are members of Christ’s true church. I also understand more about the sacrament and because it’s so important.

Well thanks family I love you so much. Please pray for me and so that we can find more news

Bye, I love you!

June 6, 2011

Hello family,

Things are going pretty good...... I didn’t tell you last week, cause I wanted to make sure, but my camera got stolen, with all of my pictures and videos from the last like 2 changes. We were playing basketball in the church on a Monday morning, and someone I guess came into the church, went clear to the back through like 4 sets of doors, and stole it out of the gym. Ya I have no idea how but it’s definitely not in the church, we looked for it forever. But ya so I bought a new one today. I took out 100 dollars to buy it today... It’s a nice one that was on sale. Ya I am way bummed out cause all my pics and videos are gone from the last couple months. But I am just going to start taking a lot pictures. We left early Sunday morning to go pick up our investigadors and none of them were there again! It’s been three weeks and we still haven’t had an investigador at church. That’s the first time in my whole mission that 2 weeks have passed by without anyone in church. We found this way cool family of 6 though, and I’m way excited to start teaching them. That family with all the sons was way weird this week. Nobody left like 2 times when we went to their house, and we couldn’t teach them this week. We are going to pass by though this next week, so hopefully they can receive us. We played baseball in the street with all these kids one day for a couple minutes. It was way tight and funny; my comp hit two he runs. They didn’t know how to play since there were like 5 bases and they were running in the wrong direction. On Tuesday we showed this video, finding faith in Christ to this club of old ladies we found. We got the projector from the church and the four f us set it up. It was way cool, there were like 50 old ladies there and they all loved it. This next week we are going to show the restoration, so it’s going to be way sick. I’m excited for the package, thanks so much for whatever it is that you’re going to send ha-ha. I don’t have any more money in my card so could you put a little more on, I might need a little more to help me with food this month, just like 10 dollars would be good if you can. On Sunday I did division with my old comp Elder Tilley so I could see Fabian get baptized in las nieves. It was way awesome, the spirit was way strong, and I’m way happy they fabian could be baptized. He is so awesome. Elder Muñiz baptized hm. My sector right now is called Javiera carrera, and it’s in the community la Florida. It’s pretty nice; there are some pretty ghetto parts though. There are like 150 people that go to church every week. The members are really awesome I like them a lot. Well mom and dad thanks for everything I will send that email you need right now... I love you so much! Thanks for your love and for everything you have done for me. Pray for me so that I can achieve my goals and so investigadores can come to church!

I love you! Have a good week!!

May 30. 2011

Hey family!

This week was pretty good, we taught a lot of the people that we found this past week, but it was a little frustrating cause we went to pick a whole bunch of people up in the morning to take them to church but nobody left there house! That always sucks. We are teaching this family right now and they have 4 sons and the oldest is 12 years old, but they are extremely humble and it was a way good lesson. I see 4 future missionaries in them, they are so smart and they understand and love everything we teach them. But ya I'm getting to know more members and they are pretty cool, its kind of hard right now though cause we are teaching like all these ladies, and we cant enter the house if there isn’t a man in the house, and we don’t know very many young men that can come with us, so we cant enter a lot of houses. That’s way cool Ben and Julia got married, that’s pretty crazy he already got married, that was so fast. That’s way tight that tanner got home, I was wondering when he was going to get home. Those stories are way awesome, It really does show that god answers prayers and that the promise of Moroni is way true. Anybody that will ask god, with the disposition to get baptized will ALWAYS receive an answer.

Ya I know that there are a lot of beautiful little cities just a little south of viña called Los Angeles and I think Valparaiso is close to there. To see all the really beautiful stuff we have to go WAY south. I know there are like awesome lakes and stuff just above Santiago though. That would be pretty tight if the jazz picked jimmer. I guess, I'm not sure if he would do very well though. I hope the packers get a good player, so they can win the superbowl again. I’m going to be honest I really miss sports; I’m so excited to watch them after the mission ha-ha. It would be tight if you sent me like a packers hat or beanie or something like that. I can’t really think of anything else. I can just wait anyway if I need anything else ha-ha... Well I love you family! I hope you have a great week! Thanks so much for everything!

May 23, 2011

Hi mom and dad and Brigham and Caleb...

This week was pretty good, we both were whitewashed into the sector, so we really didn’t know where a lot of stuff was but we are good now. We just contacted and talked with a ton of people, and we found a whole bunch of way good people too. I’m excited to start teaching them and stuff. Elder Riding already speaks well; he has a change more than me in the mission. Ya I'm still Zone leader, but I think this might be my last change as zone leader. They are usually only ZL for like 5 or 6 changes. Ya Elder mientus, Elder Vargass comp, is way tight, I feel really bad for him, and he has had a way hard life. He is 2 already and his dad is like anti Mormon and he has had all these crazy health problems and he is struggling pretty badly with his Spanish. I have trying to help him and stuff. He is way nice and loving and humble though, really is a great example. No I have never seen that hotel, it cause I have only been downtown twice. Downtown is out of our mission, so we just go there 2 times a year to renew our ID. It’s not that far from my sectors though. In the public transportation you could get there in like an hour or less. Ummm I guess we could use public transportation, it’s like always pretty busy though and we would look like way out of place, like rich gringos, and some of the sectors I have been in are pretty gangster so it would be interesting. I think it would be better to rent a car, but I could show you around the metro one day anyway, because it’s pretty cool.

That’s cool that Sinjin goes home pretty dang soon, when does mike go home? Like in august too? That’s good that you have been really busy mom, they are blessings for all the things you have sacrificed. I’m want to go to Dixie first when I get home, cause some of the credits that I have wont transfer until I get my associates... So yaw I need help doing that and registering again. And I need help looking up information about that Spanish test I can take that will give my credits. I will be able to get a Spanish minor like right away.

Do you know if the jazz got good picks at the lottery? Who are they?

Ya I’m going to answer a few of those questions that you wanted me to answer.

I have been really blessed by obeying because the rules that we obey are always for our protection. And the first law of the heavens is the obedience, so if I obey any rule, I will receive a blessing for having obeyed that rule.

The lord considers missionary work so important because it is his ¨work and his glory to ring to pass the immortality and the eternal life of man¨ and he does that through the member and missionaries of the church. It is also important because literally it is the most important message that any single person non member could ever hear and receive in their life, because it’s the only thing that will give them salvation. Missionaries have rules like that because all those things distract and draw the spirit away. Without the spirit we can’t teach the most important message in the world. People don’t join the church just by hearing doctrine, but they join the church as they start to notice their spiritual needs be filled and when they start to feel satisfied and filled spiritually. We also have rules like that because they protect us, and allow us to be more focused in the work. The that has came from following these rules is that I feel good before god and I feel worthy even if I’m baptizing people or not. When I follow those rules I also have promised blessing in m way, maybe in that same moment or years later.

young girls can meet their purpose if they write letter that are uplifting and spiritually focused. And not o baby I miss you I want to marry you crap. That makes it harder to focus.

Well family I love you guys have a good week!

Elder Whitney

P.S. I want oatmeal cream pies, Swiss cake rolls and stuff like that. And mountain Dew would be... heavenly. Maybe just like 3. And don’t worry about the caffeine. I drink coke every single day. President gave us Dr Pepper too the other day. I like zours. And cow tails. I’m good on taco seasoning and all that stuff. Don’t worry about the Tajin spice either. and reecies pieces and reecies fastbreak.

May 16, 2011

Hello Family,

This week was pretty good, we had changes last night. And I left! After 6 months and one week in Las Nieves Right now I’m in an area called javiera carrera and I’m with Elder Riding from Rexburg Idaho. He is way sweet, I like him a lot, and I have known him pretty much my whole mission and we get long way good, I’m way pumped for this change. Guess who I am living with? Elder Vargas... again ha-ha. His comp is Elder Mientus from Pennsylvania. He is allowed to grow a beard because he can’t shave due to some skin condition he has. Its way awesome. It’s like working with Brigham young. Ya so President called me today and he explained what had happened. He told me that I could like take a Spanish test or something at BYU to get 19 credits of all A´s So that’s what he wants me to do to make up the credits I’m going to lose. I think he’s just trying to make me feel better cause I could get 19 free credits anyway and 15 more while I study ha-ha but o well ya I’m cool if you guys come down I’m thinking 3 days in Santiago is enough.. That will give us time to visit some people and just do whatever. Will you try and look for information about that test? He said I might be able to take it online, or I might have to drive up to Provo to take it.

That’s way crazy that there are 70 missionaries out. That’s like half of a whole mission just from one stake. That’s cool you saw Jeff, that’s really said though he didn’t go on a mission. That’s cool that Jake is teaching the sprinters and stuff. I bet he is doing really good. That’s cool the Lakers lost. That’s going to be a way good series. I bet the heat win, they are so stacked from what I've heard.

Ya that would be cool to go to SUU but I’m not sure. I want to play football but I’m not sure about that either. I would have to like dedicate my life to college football, I would do it though, I want to try out somewhere but we will have to see. Well thanks family for everything that you do! I love you. Have a good week1

Love Elder Whitney

May 9, 2011 - Not to much to way afte skyping on Mothers day

Family,

It was good talking last night, I hope you have a great day, and I hope you get feeling better mom. I love you guys, and I pray for you every night.

Chao!

April 25, 2011

Hello Family,

Easter was really good; some member gave us little chocolate eggs and stuff on Sunday, so that was cool. We also ate clam empanadas at Fabians house.., they were pretty good, and my favorite kind though is the shrimp with cheese. They are soooo good! This week was semana Santa. Or holy week. A ton of people don’t eat meat this whole week cause its a ¨sin¨ to eat meat, on semana Santa cause the meat is the flesh of Jesus Christ. Freaking apostasy ha-ha. We had two new investigadores in church yesterday and they really liked it so that was good. We should have a couple more baptisms this next month. I might get changed though on the 15th. Its way weird to think that my next ward will be my last probably. Thanks for the money! I needed to use my credit card the other day because I already ran out of the mission money like a week ago, and I didn’t have like any food. The dry cleaner lost my jacket too, so I don’t know what they are going to do. I need it this week. So they must just pay me but I'm not sure how much they will give me. Roberto wasn’t called to be the ward mission leader but the assistant, There really isn’t a problem with calling here, usually all the calling are filled. But sometimes they are less active counselors and mission leaders so it is crappy sometimes. On Friday it rained a lot for the first time this year I think. It was way cold. It’s getting so cold too in the mornings. I wear like 3 layers of clothing to bed and a scarf. That’s way cool that Brigham is so close to qualifying. I know he will be able to do it this following track meet. Good luck Brigham!

That’s terrible that her hair got stuck. I have heard girls getting their hair stuck while they are repelling and they pretty much have to cut all of it off. She is way lucky. That’s way funny that she went with you guys. Don’t make her feel hated like my old girlfriends ha-ha.

That’s good that you had a good Easter, I better write Ryan back soon, before he leaves to Afghanistan. Should I just send it to their house in St. George? I will be able to use Skype again and I will have a better webcam so it will be really cool. I will let you know what time I will be calling and stuff next week. The singer Fabian wants us to write a song with him on Tuesday so that should be interesting. He still hasn’t come to church yet because he has events like every weekend, it sucks. Well Thank you family for everything. Thanks Brigham Caleb and mom and dad. I love you!

Chao!

April 18, 2011

Hello querida familia los Whitney,

This week was pretty good, we got to teach a lot of new people, me and my comp have been really busy, we have like ten legit investigadores that could easily get baptized in the next month or so. This Sunday it was really special because Roberto received the Holy Ghost, the priesthood, and a calling to be the assistant to the ward mission leader. It’s going to be way tight now working with him and stuff. Ya I'm still in Puente Alto in las nieves. I have like 5 months here now. I can’t believe that I will be calling you again this change. I felt like I called you guys like a month ago! I keep having all these dreams about you guys and the house and stuff ha-ha. I’m not trunk at all but I guess my subconscious mind is doing some thinking. Y thanks for the advice, I need to start exercising and taking advantage of the priesthood and calling I have. I have learned a lot on my mission but I still feel like I need to learn so much more. Today we played soccer with some other missionaries and it was way fun. We played like 8 hrs 8 on this cement field. The Myers sent me another package with some taco stuff and some candy. It was way good, so give them huge thanks for me. Wow that’s crazy that Brigham actually has a girlfriend ha-ha. Is she cute? Tell him to send me a pic, No I pretty much stopped writing lexi. I just got bored. I m not writing like anyone write now. Whitney sent me an email today actually. But it’s like 1 time every couple months. She is doing well though I think.

Someone told me today that the Marriott gave a deal for missionaries parents that came down to look for them. You can probably look into that. One of the things I would like for my B day is a seasoning called Tajín. It’s a Mexican seasoning with lime. You can eat it on fruit and stuff. Ya here in Chile they have something called semana santa. Or the holy week. That’s Easter. They don’t eat meat that week. The Catholics... I don’t know why. Apostasy.

Well here are a few pics from this week. Yesterday we went on a little hike to find this house.

Bye! I love you guys, have a good week!

Apri 11, 2011

Hello dearest family,

This week was really good, and yesterday was like one of the best days of my mission. Yesterday we baptized Roberto venegas, which was like my dream ever since I came to this sector, that was like the only think I wanted to do, was baptize that man! I am so happy right now, it really was my companion though that was able to get to his heart and he is like one of the best missionaries and teachers I have ever met. I am so grateful for my comp because without him I'm not sure if Roberto would have gotten baptized. It really was his own decision though; he worked so hard, even though he didn’t show it, he had to make a lot of huge changes in his life to be baptized. The rest of his family were baptized more than a year ago, and for that whole time, he had known more and more about the church but always had a lot of doubts, or just didn’t want to repent. Really I have such a huge testimony about the power and role the Holy Ghost plays in the conversion of someone. The only thing he had to do was read the book of Mormon with a sincere heart, and meditates about it a little, then ask god. It was an incredible blessing to take part in both a prayer that he offered in front of us to ask god if it was true, and his baptism. As I walked down into the baptism font, I noticed that he wasn’t following me down in there. I looked back at him and he was just looking at the water, I had no idea what he was thinking, but I will never forget what I saw. He kneeled down, so low to the ground and so humble, and was praying with all his might. I couldn’t help but feel the spirit so strong in that moment, I was almost crying when I offered the baptism prayer. That baptism meant so much for me, and a lot for my comp. I don’t understand why he chose me to baptize him when it seems like everyone else had helped him so much and I felt like my comp deserved to baptize him, and I wanted him too. I actually felt really bad for a while because I felt like sometimes I was scared to try and teach Roberto or sometimes I didn’t exercise my faith to bring the spirit while we were teaching. I felt like I had gotten something without earning it. I honestly wanted him so badly to realize the truthfulness’ of the gospel and to be baptized in the saviors church but my FEAR for men and lack of confidence in my self and of god and my Spanish prohibited me from doing something that a wanted to do so badly. I have learned a lot of good lessons lately, but I just honestly hope that I will be able to put them into practice, and to find more confidence in my self and in the gospel of Christ. I have learned one thing though that will always help me, and that is that it doesn’t matter what happens, I just need to be happy and excited. O ¨tener animo¨´ I definately Do have more confidence in god now, I am building the confidence in my self, I will forever be grateful that I had the opportunity to take part of Roberto’s conversion. I really do feel so happy, and yesterday honestly was like the best day of my mission. He shared his testimony at the end of the baptism service, and it was so strong and incredible, he said it was the best decision that he has ever took since he made the decision to get married and to have kids. He said now I will be able to have an eternal family. It was the best and most spiritual baptism service that I have ever been too.

Yes I stayed with my comp, but now there are 2 more missionaries in the ward and in our pension. One is new and is from Las Vegas. His name is Elder Bunderson, he is pretty cool. We played a way funny joke on him. I will tell you what we did later; my email is already way long.

I still enjoy being zone leader, its really cool being able to serve other missionaries and stuff. The stats always take forever but that’s it ha-ha. My favorite conference talk was probably Elder Holland’s, or the prophets talk on the temples. I thought he was going to announce a temple in Jerusalem or something ha-ha I was freaking out.

Well Family thanks for everything that you do for me, have a good week! I love you guys!

Elder Whitney

We helped build this house for a blind guy.

This is caty, the youngest daughter of Roberto

April 4, 2011

Hello dearest family,

This week was really good, we didn’t teach a lot of lessons or anything but it was just a good week, it flew by! I can’t believe we are already starting a new change. Now there are 4 missionaries in our ward, it was way random I couldn’t believe it. One of them is Elder Barreto from Peru; he was one of the district leaders here in this stake when I first got here. The other elder is a newbie that’s going to get here tomorrow. Were totally going to play a trick on him or something, its going to be funny. ya I always see posters of all these cool bands that come to Chile, and I know that park. The killers are coming soon I think. Thanks for helping me on all the BYU stuff; I'm not sure if I want to go there in the spring but maybe in the future. There is this way cool elder that is going home today from St. George. His name is Elder Adams. He lives by the green spring’s golf course. He was in a band pretty big called Kennedy in st George.

That’s way cool that Brigham did well at his track meet. He looks way tall in all of his pictures. It’s going to be cool seeing him and Caleb after my mission to see how different they are. I haven’t changed much physically, just a lot less muscles and whiter, and a little fatter.

The conference was way good, I watched all of them in English except the priesthood session, cause Roberto the guy who is going to get baptized came, and I sat by him. It was still good though in Spanish ha-ha. We made tons of tacos for the whole zone after the first session and they were way good. I lost some money though because I bought chicken, and I found out later that it was just all the left over parts of the chicken and it was way crappy. So that was 20 bucks down the drain.

This week we went to get our ID renewed so now I will have a new carnet (ID) downtown Santiago is way cool, and I don’t get to see it very often ha-ha.

Well Thanks for everything. I love you guys!

Chao

Elder Whitney

March 28, 2011

Hello family!

Things are going pretty good over here, its getting a lot colder in the nights and in the mornings, so that makes things a littler harder in the morning. At least it’s cooler during the day. Robert the dad of the venegas family should be getting baptized on the tenth. We had a family home evening with them and another family and he made a toast while we were eating, and thanked everyone for coming and stuff than he said ¨¨I know that his is the true church¨ or in other words, baptize me. We are also teaching this professional singer that is way tight. He has a date for the 24th. He has music videos that are on the TV. His artist name is fae. He is Christian but doesn’t have a religion. He totally wants to like write songs together and stuff about god. It would be way tight ha-ha. He honestly sings so so good. Probably one of the best I have ever heard live and with my own ears. His music videos aren’t appropriate at all though he told us, he just did it because they gave him the song to sing and he just did it. There is this other girl that is way awesome too that is going to get baptized the 17. She has been going to seminary like every day

That’s way cool you ran into lance, he is way awesome, are they still thinking about dating when maddy gets back? Cause they were practically going to get married before ha-ha. It’s going to be cool now because I will be there.

There is this lady in my English class that really wants to buy 2 electronic dictionaries, but here in Chile they are like 180 bucks. And I think they are like 100 over there right? And don’t know if you guys could but I told her that I could probably get some for her. She will pay me and everything too, and then if you want, I can give you the money when you come and get me. Just let me know next week.

I’m way excited for conference, its going to be awesome. Were going to watch it in our church. I swear general conference is like the coolest thing ever in the mission. That’s cool that Brigham had a track meet, and that Caleb is playing basketball. Does he start for his team? Ya I heard that BYU lost. That sucks, someone told me during the week. Ryan lundquist wrote me a way cool letter, so I'm going to write him back soon. That’s good you’re receiving a lot of blessing while you golf dad ha-ha, I want to go after the mission but I don’t even want to think how bad I will play after 2 years. How long are we going to stay in chile when you come? Are we going to go down to the south or anything too? Cause that is definately the prettiest. I have heard.

I love you guys! Have an awesome week!

Chao.

¿Mamá todavia esta practicando su español? siga practicando para que hablemos un poco despues de la mision.

March 21, 2011

Hello Family,

This week was really good, we have another baptismal date on the 17th, we are teaching the friend of the venegas family, and she has been going to seminary almost every day. We are finding a ton of cool people. Our goal as a mission this march is to find 21 news for every companionship and we have found 19 until now. I emailed the transfer department of BYU last week and they gave me a response, I will forward it to you. I’m like 65 percent sure though I want to just stay at Dixie to finish my associates. That lady is copying the bible letter by letter, because she made like a promise with god or something. Ha-ha I don’t think I'm going to be trunky, sometimes I think about home and stuff obviously but I never get like feeling like I want to be home or anything, because I know the mission is just 6 more months, and I can think about home the rest of my life. My release date is the 20th of September. I would like to go to viña del mar too, with Brent, it would be way tight. How long are you going to come for?

This week when we taught Roberto, the dad of the family venegas, we read Alma 22 with him. We then invited him to ask god if the book of Mormon is true in that moment. We all kneeled down and he offered one of the most sincere prayers that I have ever heard. He said that he would be the number 1 most faithful member if he let him knew that the book of mormos is true. After the prayer, almost everyone was crying and he was kind of crying too. He said he couldn’t deny the spirit that he was feeling, and he still plans on being baptized the 10 of April. It was way awesome, true faith really does work miracles. I’m reading the book of Mormon in Spanish marking all the references of jesuscrist and his words and his doctrine and principles and his attributes. For the first time in my life I actually understand like the whole story in the book of Mormon and stuff. It’s sweet. That books story is so confusing. I’m so grateful though for the book of mormos. I’m way excited for general conference, its going to be awesome!

That’s awesome that BYU is in the sweet 16 now. They better make it to the final 4. Today we played soccer and ate choripan and we were talking about sports the whole time ha-ha.

Well family, here’s some cute little photitos..

I love you Chao!!

Have a good week.

March 14, 2011

Hello family,

I’m glad you guys had a good week, I got the package that maddie sent me, thanks maddie! The shirts way cool, I love it. That’s way cool the Brigham did good in his track meet, he looks way tall in the picture, crap he might be as tall as me now. That’s cool you saw Jake, how is he doing? That’s so random that all of these random people I knew in high school are randomly getting married. Who was Jessica Myers married too? Ya we heard about the earthquake, that’s so crazy, we just saw a little bit of it on the news, but the little images we saw were unreal, it was like a crazy movie, and I seriously can’t believe what happened. Its way sad, but the church is going to help a ton I imagine. Everything turned out ok with the whole sleepover thing. During the capacitacion thing we had on Thursday with the president, we were reading in 2 Nephi 31 and it just so happened that Elder fiscus, the one that planned the sleepover read the verse that says, can we follow jesuschrist unless we are willing to obey the commandments of god? And president added or in our case... the mission rules. NO WE CANNOT FOLLOW HIM NOR HAVE HIS SPIRIT. I felt bad for fiscus, but we were the only ones that knew what he was talking about ha-ha, its cool how god sets up situations like that. The awesome family in my sector that are all converts except the papa, and the house were at right now to do internet. We are teaching the dad again and he accepted a babtismal date for the tenth of April. Also this guy Luis that I found and taught and helped stop drinking is got baptized on Sunday in the ward el valle. I really am so happy for him; it’s the true joy of sharing the gospel. Its even more special cause I knocked his door, contacted him, taught him, brought him to church and everything and he got babtized.Its so sweet!! I’m going to get a paper soon called the trunky papers and on there I have to fill out a box that says if you guys are going to come get me or no,, so if I don’t get that paper soon I will let you know.. That’s stinks that BYU lost. But at least they got a good seed, its going to be fun watching them play in the tourney.... for you guys.

Well have a good week, I love you guys!

¡Chao! ¡Sigan practicando su español para que me entiendan cuando vuelva!

The lady in the pic with all the notebooks is writing the bible! She is in like 2 kings or something. Her daughter javiera is getting baptized soon.

The pic with all the missionaries is our sector slam last night. We found 3 news that are way good.

March 7, 2011

Hello hello,

Hi familia how are you, this week was really good, we had our zone conference this Friday and it was way good, right now the mission is focused on the book of Mormon and finding new investigators, we found 7 news this week, and we have to find 21 to be able to do our part in completing the goal we have as a mission.

The craziest thing happened on Monday after we got done using internet. Me and my comp had cleaned the pension that morning and we found like a list of names that I had lost a little bit ago, it was a list that another elder made for me of people that could progress that I should visit.. So anyways we found it. In the evening we took a nap and my comp woke up and was like hey is there a street in our sector called occidental or oriental or something? I was like uh no... Well there is Gabriela oriente so ya that could be it. And he said o well I had a dream about some street named that. Then a few hours later a totally remembered my dream, and I had a dream about these names on the list I found. So we grabbed the list and we found the names and they lived on Gabriela oriente. We were like wow.... we totally just connected our dreams together. The next day all our appointments fell and there was like nothing to do, so we passed by that family on the list in Gabriela. A little girl came out and told us to come by later so we went by at like 7. And all our appointments fell that day. And she let us pass by, and we taught this new family of like 5 girls. They definitely had tons of doubts about the book of Mormon and stuff so it’s definitely going to be a process with them if they are going to get baptized. We will see though, because we haven’t been able to pass by since then. The book of Mormon will convert anyone who reads it sincerely, that’s the good thing.

Ha-ha that’s seriously so random. Ben challis and Julia braten? Ben challis has been home for like 3 months! I seriously was liked shocked when I read that, I could never see them together. But that’s way cool anyways.

That’s way crazy about BYU and what happened. Good thing that Steve young works for ESPN ha-ha. That’s kind of crappy though with the whole situation. The whole nation is like making fun of the honor code at BYU. It’s funny that the only religious university that has rules so that the students keep the commandments of god is a Mormon school.

Last night we had to take care of a situation in the zone. Like 6 elders tried to pull off a freaking sleepover and when we called for stats last night we realized that there were more than two missionaries in the pension. So we called them and asked them and they were like ya we messed up were going home right now. We had to call the assistants and we stayed up last night until like 12:30 until the assistants got there. We had already told them no, but they did it anyway. So were going to see how they react with us tomorrow during our class. Thanks you family for everything you do! I love you guys! Bye.

Elder Whitney,

We played basketball this morning at this sweet gym.

February 28, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I love you mom, I really hope you had an awesome week, That’s way sweet you went skiing and stuff, We found a ton of new investigators today that our way awesome.. We also fasted as a mission this Sunday so we could find more investigators... We should have at least one baptism this month; we are teaching this girl named javiera. She still has to change a little bit before she can get baptized. We taught this guy that was a little older and he brought out this book of Mormon that was way old. It had the picture of a family with their testimonies on it, and they were from santaquin Utah, ha-ha it was way random. The guy must have served in Chile before and met Antonio our investigator. My companion is way awesome and we get along good. He is an away awesome teacher and has taught me a lot. This week I was thinking a lot of what I want to do when I get back. Some kid after our English class was talking with me and told me if I had ever considered being a teacher in the university or something but I don’t think I would want to do that. Last night I was praying and wondering and asking if I should try and play football, and last night I had a way sick dream, and I was playing football in this way huge game, and it came down to the last play of the game and I was playing quarterback for some reason but I ran it in like 30 yards to win the game.. It was way sick. I’m confused if that’s supposed to be considered an answer or just a sick dream because I like football haha.but o well. I also would like to be a pilot, but I need more info on what I could de for that. I will have to ask Brent. That’s crazy that nick is going out now... I’m not going to see him for a while...

I can’t believe the jazz traded Darren Williams, I guess that’s pretty sweet though if they are going to get all these other draft picks. That’s hilarious too about the BYU game. That would have been way funny to see. Ya I'm allowed to look at college websites and stuff, to be able to figure things out. It will be a lot easier when I get home but a lot more rushed too so hopefully during the mission I can get it all figured out. Well I love you family, thanks for everything, sorry mom for not wishing you a happy birthday last week. I love you and I hope you have a great week! Bye

Elder Whitney

February 21, 2011

Hello familia,
This week was pretty good, some people came to church and so that was pretty cool. The change ended on Sunday and my comp left! We actually already knew, because his second week in this sector president told him in his interview that he was going to train someone in their second change. So my new comps name is Elder Muñiz. He is from Mexico! I freakin love Mexicans. I'm excited to work more with him. He has about the same time as me, but he is still 19. He is from a city called Cuautla. I have had Latin comps from all over. Ecuador, Mexico, Argentina, Peru. I know a freakin ton now about South America. I would actually like to work with the church here. It’s a lot more exciting than the church in the states.
Ya maybe I could finish out my associates at Dixie state. Its cause maybe I want to play football and if I play football, I don’t want to play at Dixie state cause it’s just a dead end. But I have also heard that you have to be accepted already to BYU if you are going to try out. I don’t want to stay at Dixie state my whole life either... I want to live in St. George when I’m older I think but I want to study somewhere else for a while. I’m pretty sure the mission president can interview me too if I want to apply there. I think he has connections there too. I’m going to talk with him in my next interview. I guess that would be pretty cool if you came and picked me up. I’m neutral about the idea, if you want to come, that would be cool, but if no, that’s cool too.
The bishop gives us 10 names and we have to pass by those people during the week, and then give him a report of what happened. Ya you should defiantly read the fourth missionary with the boys and stuff, its way good.
That’s way sweet about BYU. Hopefully they beat San Diego. That would be so cool, the first seed the tourney.
Well family I love you! Have a good week. BYE.

Maybe mom you could start looking at what I have to do to be able to apply at like BYU and everything... or other schools.

February 14, 2011

I hope you have a HAPPY VALENTINES too!

This week was really good, we taught allot, and found some pretty sweet familias from the English classes we are doing. Ya I read in the ensign that the big focus was on bringing back less active members. There are focusing on that here too. we have to pass by like 10 different names every week to teach this document that called permanaced... which pretty much tells them to come back or they are screwed. It’s a really inspired document though, I love teaching it. I read a talk recently called 4th missionary. I wish I would have read it at the beginning of my mission, but I guess there is a reason I read it now. It is amazing, and it changed my life... Seriously, Brigham and Caleb have to read it before they go on their missions. I’m going to give it to some young men that are going from this ward soon. It talks about following the will of god and that how, even if we do the things that lead to happiness and if we obey the commandments, we will never be blessed or happy if we don’t WANT to do them. We can live a way good righteous life but we will be secretly uncomfortable fighting within our own minds because we would rather be doing something else. Those are the missionaries that go on missions they sacrifice a ton, and they baptize a lot of people. But their own personal lives will never be changes because there just waiting for the moment when they can do what THEY want to do. I’m seriously so glad I’m on the mission, it seriously the best thing that I could have ever done. I feel soooo bad for anyone that never takes that choice. It’s like the greatest blessing in the world. I have learned so much about life, and about what is important, and how to listen to the spirit and how to draw upon the powers of heaven. I still feel like I have a TON to learn but seriously I’m so glad I’m here. I know I’m going to end the mission, but hopefully I will have learned everything that god wants me to learn. I honestly want to follow his will my whole life. Our president told us that he KNEW that we were going to be the leaders of the church in the final preparation for the second coming. The only thing that god will never have unless we ourselves give it to him is our WILL.

I have to start applying to schools... I don’t know what to do. Mom please help me, I think you have all the information and my grades and credits and stuff to Dixie state. I think I want to transfer to start school in January. I want to apply though to like BYU, Dixie state, Arizona State, maybe SUU. The deadline is OCT 1, but I don’t want to rush it. Could you look up some stuff to help me?

Nothing happened in the earthquake, I didn’t feel it... That’s so awesome that Jimmer is the number one scorer in the nation. He must be way tight. That’s tight Brigham that you will be running varsity. I hope you feel better; did you wake up from your surgery hurting pretty bad? And I hope you make the basketball team, keep working out hard so that you can be an awesome football player. Chileans eat a lot of things called empanadas. They have emenadas with cheese, with pino it’s called. Meat and eggs and onions. And soapapillas they are like scone type of things that they sell in the street. They have this dish called pastel de choclo. It’s with meat and corn and stuff. They don’t drink hardly ever water. They are obsessed with coke. There is this drink that they sell in the street too called mote con huesillos. It’s a drink with a peach in it with wheat. They love soccer but aren’t very good at it. The people from the south are way nice and supposedly it’s beautiful down there. The north is all desert. Chile is like the number one miner of cobre. I forgot how you say that in English. Everyone walks around with their phone playing this music called regaton, that like this rap stuff.... They talk really different than any other country. They hate Peru and Argentina. There are a lot of Peruvians here.

Well mom and dad and Brigham and Caleb I love you, have a good week!

Love Elder Whitney

February 7, 2011

February 7, 2011

HAHA YAYAYAYA
That’s so sick the packers won the super bowl! I was so anxious this whole morning to find out!! Nobody even cares or knows down here it’s so annoying! That’s awesome, I actually didn’t think that much about it yesterday but today in the morning I wanted to know pretty bad. You should put it on a disk or something so that it doesn’t get erased PLEASE. I’m pretty sure I’m going to care when I get back. This week was pretty good; Ismael the kid that got baptized got confirmed yesterday... We have a family home evening with them today. The dad isn’t a member and he has come to church the last 2 times. Their family has a lot of problems though, they aren’t married and I guess the dad hit imael yesterday and punished him because ismael didn’t want to go to his classes during church. I’m kind of worried about him because he doesn’t ever want to go to his Sunday school classes. We have a couple other baptism dates for the 20th and for the 27th. Hopefully they get baptized before the end of the change... That’s pretty crazy that Alex haslem got back. I remember him leaving. That’s way crazy. Today we played soccer against another zone and we won again. It was way fun. It was also extremely hot this week. My face got sun burnt one day, but now it’s all right.
Ya landon is way awesome, I will write him.. im still learning the language! I still feel like i suck at it, it’s just a matter of time and practice.
My comp is from cajamarca Peru from the north. We get along really good. He is really... correct and a little prideful without knowing but he’s way cool. He is a convert since he was twelve. He has two older brothers that aren’t members and his dad isn’t a member but his dad and mom have been separated ever since she met the gospel. His sister though is a member. He is really good at soccer and likes cooking and stuff. Being zone leader is awesome, its nice being in charge. but I also have to deal with a couple problem missionaries and they also want to do stuff that they probably shouldn’t do so that kind of sucks sometimes cause they are like my friends but ya..
The plate of food that I and elder daines ate was so good. And what are you talking about disgusting? It has like all the best foods in one plate. Eggs potatoes, sausage, french-fries. From the United States I miss the big breakfasts, and I miss some drinks and slushies and stuff like that.
They celebrate valentines in Chile but not that much; it’s not as big as in the USA.
Well thank you mom, and dad and Brigham and Caleb, I love you

GREENBAY PACKERS 2011
SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS

Chao, Elder Whitney

January 31, 2011

Hello familia!
This week was really good, we had the baptism yesterday and this kid in our ward baptized him so it was really cool. I honestly thought he wasn’t going to get baptized yesterday because he like didn’t want to go to his classes but we talked with him and his mom and dad and he still wanted to get baptized. It was really good though. We never got to teach his dad and yesterday he loved church so that was really good, we are going to start to teach him.
That’s crazy that Brigham got his appendix out. Did it explode? I guess mine is going to be later... everyone in our whole family isn’t going to have an appendix ha-ha.. How are you feeling dad? that’s too bad that you have been sick but that’s really cool you got a hole in one? are they going to put your name up on the shop? what course was it at?
Ya this week me and my comp sang Joseph smiths first prayer to this family, it was pretty good, but we both don’t sing very well so... ha. Ya it was cool meeting Brent’s friend. All those people in that picture were their children. They don’t live that far from the area., just like 20 min away.
Today we played soccer with the zone then went to the mall in Puente alto and my comp bought a mp3. We ate with two other elders at this restaurant and it was way good.. The elders are called Daines and Mondalgo. Mondalgo is from Peru also. And Daines is from Logan. He is way tight.
No the rich part is still in our sector. its far from where I started the mission. That’s in the zone la reina in the sector tobalaba. There are a ton of sectors though with nicer parts... The area I’m in now is called las nieves.. I really liked the liahona for this month that talked a lot about missionary work. President Monson called everyone on a mission with boldness. Its true we need more missionaries everywhere. We will never be able to go into china if there is not a least like 20,000 more misioneros.
Chao! I love you!
Have a good week

January 24, 2011

Hello Family,
This week was really good, we had some success and hopefully we will be having a baptism this next week.. the kid is really hyperactive and doesn’t want to stay in his classes though in church so its kind of complicated. On Friday we found and taught this way amazing guy in the rich part of the sector. It was way awesome, I really think he is going to be baptized. We had to answer tons of questions about the virgin Mary though. it was really hard for him to accept that its not good to pray to her. I’m going to take a picture of elder Sanchez right now and send it to you.
We had interviews this week and it was way good. President really is so awesome, and is one of the greatest examples that I have ever seen.
Today was way cool I finally met Cecilia, Brent’s friend from the mission. Me and Elder Wilkey the assistant, and my friend from St George, went and ate with her and her family today. She was so happy to see me and they were asking me all these questions and stuff about my family and my life. They want Brent and all you guys to go there when you come to pick me up. It was way funny today at lunch they were talking about Calvin and Preston because they have them on face book or something ha-ha, way weird hearing their names from this random Chilean family..
I’m so glad the packers won BUT I’M SO SAD I will miss it. Of course the year they go to the super bowl I’m in Chile. I have bad luck like that!! But well if they win it will still be way cool. Gosh the Steelers play in the super bowl like every year.. How was the game against the bears? was it really good? If they win please you have to send me a shirt and a hat...
The fried bananas were ok. They are pretty good but its not like they are amazing. The mom I’m teaching reminds me of you because she looks like you. Her face is like the same as yours mom its funny.
Ya here in Chile there is a cement soccer court almost in every block I swear. There are little fields everywhere. Its called baby futbol. Everyone plays it. That’s what we play too every Thursday.
We have been way busy as zone leaders, I don’t have any time to write hand letters or any of that.. Our zone is really awesome though.. I like the missionaries a lot. This Saturday and Sunday I played the guitar in two baptisms. This girl from Ohio got baptized in our stake yesterday. She is way awesome. She goes to Ohio state and everything. She is down here in Chile for the summer to get away from the winter.. She and her mom speak like perfect English so it was way cool. Elder Daines this new kid got to teach her in English. Well got to go, I love you!
Have a good week. GO PACKERS!!!!
　
I asked Elder Whitney if he thought watching football on Sunday was breaking the Sabbath and his reply was:
I don’t have an opinion of that as a missionary, because all the members buy and watch TV on Sunday in Chile, so I’m surrounded with bad examples.　

January 17, 2011

Familia..
Go Packers...
I had to get that off my chest.. wow I will be so mad and glad at the same time if they win the super bowl. Please record the last games they have so I can see them in 8 months.
I have been doing really good. Elder Sanchez is way awesome, we get along really good. He is way funny. He is a way good missionary and we had a lot of success this last week. At the start of the week we had no baptism dates or progressing investigators at all but at the end now we have like 4 people that could get baptized this change. We found this one kid doing less active work and his mom reminds me of a younger version of you mom ha-ha. She is a less active that wants to return to church. My comp speaks like really really well without any crazy Chilean slang, so that’s cool.
That’s awesome about Christian Clayton. He seems like a kid that would go to Germany. Its a little sad cause I’m not going to see that kid for so long.
The English class has been going pretty well. Now were going to start and teach some people that go there. There’s like 4 or 5 people that always go..
I couldn’t believe the picture that you sent me last week. There was so much snow in St. George! The snow in Utah stopped some missionaries from going home last week. They had to wait a little bit longer.
That’s way awesome about BYU. Our old assistant told us a little bit about Jimmer. Isn’t he from New York or something? I bet BYU is going to do pretty good in the tourney.
This morning we went to the sector most south of our mission and we played soccer against another zone and won. It was really nice cause it was like the outdoors... The sector is called Pirque and its more farmish. It was nice to get out of the city. It was like my first time in forever seeing an actual river. After playing soccer we ate another barbeque, and it was pretty good. I had been looking for soccer shoes for a while cause I didn’t have any so I was going to buy some, but this week we did service for our neighbor and she gave me some sweet Adidas shoes to play on turf and cement fields.
Chase wrote me something way small like a month ago but he hasn’t writen me forever besides that. I e-mail Levi sometimes. I cant believe Trevor is getting baptized this Sunday, he still seems so little! I freaking love Trevor. The picture he drew me was awesome. Tell him hi for me and that I love him.. Its crazy too that Calvin is graduating... Ir seems like I just graduated a little while ago. Well family thank you so much for everything you have done for me.. Tell Maddie happy birthday for me! I haven’t been able to write her yet. I love you Maddie!
Chao!..
　
I totally forgot. On the way back from pirque the little bus we were on hit a pizza delivery guy on his motorcycle and probably killed him.. I heard and saw everything. It like sent him flying off the rode. We couldn’t do anything cause there was tons of people and another bus came so we had to get on. He was laying on the road in a position that defiantly showed either he was dead or was going to be soon.
Chao

January 10, 2011

Hello ! This week was pretty good, humberto, the little kid that got baptized two weeks ago, got confirmed Sunday. We had changes today and Elder Vargas went and now I’m with Elder Sanchez. He is from Peru.. We knew that elder Vargas was going to get changed though since Friday because the assistants came to our pension and we had a barbeque and they told him on Friday. So that was good cause he had time to say goodbye to everyone and everything.

I have now officially had more Latin comps than gringos.. Its a huge blessing cause it make my Spanish better. I’m teaching English classes 2 times a week and they are pretty sweet. We are having like 6 people come like every time.. hopefully we can start teaching them and stuff, cause now they have our trust and everything. We went to the temple on Saturday with caty our convert and with this other convert from 2010 that’s way cool. It was really good, the temple is a great way to get to know your investigators better and they can feel the spirit of the tour.

Heck ya I knew the packers could beat the Eagles.. sorry dad. They are going to win the super bowl. Tell Brigham he better finish his eagle or I’m going to be driving the car when I get back. What number is ranked BYU?

I was hoping to go to the mountain today but were not going anymore cause elder Vargas left and the bishop cant anymore.. Well thank you for everything you have done for me! I love you guys, see you next week!