"We felt the spirit so strong and we taught in unity..."

Hola mi familia y mis amigos,

It was a super fun week but it was hotter than Africa. I got to start off the week waiting my new comp with one of my best buddies from the mission, Elder Merkley. Dang that was so awesome to be comps with him. We only had time to do contacts and teach a lesson together but dang, when we were teaching or doing contacts it went so well. We felt the spirit so strong and we taught in unity. We taught G and his family a simple lesson about our heavenly father and his love for us and there was a spirit in that house that was so strong. It really showed me how i want all of my companionshgips to be. 

Well I am now training the Elder Mamani, fresh from Peru, Arequipa. He is super chill. He is still getting the hang of being a missionary but he has the desires which is the most important part. Its the best to have a comp with desire to learn! We are going to have a lot of sucess together I think. 

Kinda sad but G had another relapse. He will have to wait another 2 weeks to get baptized. Please be praying for him. He wants to overcome his addictions so bad but after so many years his addiction has become a think chain. He will make it though. I have faith. We met a bunch of cool new people contacting and 4 of them turned into new people to teach so that is cool. In two weeks we should be having 2 baptisms so that will be aesome as well. We had 100 people in church the otherday which was the first time which was awesome! 

Working has been freaking hard because with all the humidity and the heat I feel like im cooking. it is the worst. California is hot but it is nothing compared to this. My poor comp who isnt used to walking like 10 miles a day is dying. haha the otherday a drunk was all mad at nothing and started cussing us out and threw his bottle at us. He missed but it got alcohol on my pants so it smelled bad. Fun expirience for my comp for his 3rd day in the mission haha. good stuff. Its funny how i have changed on the mission. Im not going to lie, before the mission i probably would have clocked him, but i was just super calm and only felt sad for him. 

Well thats my week. Have a good one.

Elder Whitaker

Ty's new companion

Elder Merkley & Ty

Ty's zone

"If I put Him first, all of the other things will fall into place..."

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

Como estan todos? this last week was awesome! it was the last week of the transfer but we finished strong. We had 23 lessons this week which is super good for this area and for my other areas. In La Costa we worked our butts off to get 10 lessons a week. we have been seeing a lot of progress in the area and with the people we are teaching. We had 94 people in our branch this last sunday. it was a really good sunday because my first week in kilometro was 44 people. we have found like 7 new people to teach this last week. Some of them are in some complicated situations but we are trying to help all of them out. We had to move "G"´s baptism date back because he had a problem with drugs but he is still firm and wants to be baptized so hopefully he can be baptized the first of november. keep him in your prayers. 

We had some solid lessons this week and a theme that a lot of them had was about putting God first. A lot of people don´t even remember but the first commandment is not to have other gods before God (sorry if its not word perfect because i forgot how it is exactly in english). A lot of people have forgotten this commandment and why it is so important but we had some solid lessons about this. I was thinking the other day of all the blessings i have had in my life for putting God first. I could have waited a little to go on my mission because things were tough for my family, or a variety of other reasons that weren´t bad reasons, but it would have put God after my family or something else. I remember praying to know what i should do and i felt strongly that if i put Him first, all of the other things would fall into place. I followed that impression and waited a while for the blessing but I can promise you that they came and that I have been so blessed for that decision. Every prayer has been answered. Something to think about for you guys: "what can you guys do or change in your lives to put God first?" If you dont know, maybe you should ask Him.

Well I am staying in Km 23 but i have had a change of companions. I got assigned to train a new missionary! Im so stoked. I will get assigned to a new missionary tomorrow! it is going to be way fun! For now i get to stay with my buddy from La Costa Elder Merkley! We have been passing the P-day fun. I dont know if that makes sense in english but i think so. We are both going to be training and for now we get to be comps for the day. 

well thats all for this week. Have a good week todos!

Elder Whitaker

"I love being a missionary here in Kilometro 26!"

hola mi familia y mis amigos,

I was a great week. I love being a missionary here in Kilometro 26. It is the best here. We have so much work to do now. We are working well with "G". He is making a lot of progress and the best part is that he is super excited. He is always on us for when we can teach him next. I hope he can keep on going stong and overcome the obstacles. The lessons that we had this week that were awesome for him and for the others we taught was all about the atonement of Jesus Christ, and the gift we have to repent and be clean becuase of Christ´s sacrafice. They felt the spirit and so did I as we testified of the plan God has for us to return to him. The path has been laid for us by our savior, all we have to do is change our hearts and follow him. My favorite experience as a missionary is to be able to watch the change that happens in people as they learn what it really means that christ suffered for all of us and died for us. It has definitely changed my life and my point of view as i have been learning more, and i still have a lot to learn.

With all the contacts we have been doing they finally produced a couple of people to teach. We found a mom of 4 and one of her neighbors to teach. The only problem is that nobody in argentina is married and they all live together so they need to get married first.

The activities with the youth are going good. We are having a good turn out. I came out second again in ping pong. "G" is really good. I lost 27-29 so at least i went into overtime with him. From this activity we have started helping a less active kid come back to the church and in a lesson yesterday he told us he wants to serve a mission! I´m so stoked for him!

Well thats my week. Hopefully I will hear from more of you because as i realize that its been a year since i have heard from a ton of people and i have been bad about writng because i have only been writing my family and my buddies on the mission. Lo siento but send me letters hahaha que les vaya bien!

Elder Whitaker

"I'm so grateful I have the opportunity to be here and help him out...."

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

This week was awesome! General conference was the best. It was so great to hear from the prophet and apostles. We also had a good week as far as the work. This week we started teaching a guy named "G". He is a stud! He is married to a member but never got baptized because he has some problems with addiction to drugs. He has been coming to some of our activities wen we play soccer and ping pong and the other day he asked to meet with us. When our appointment came around he was waiting for us with one of his daughters who is 9, and told us he wants to get baptized! we had a super awesome lesson about repentance and the doctrine of Christ. We focused on the atonement and how it can help us if we choose to come unto christ by repentance and baptism. He has 2 weeks without using drugs but he told us at the next appointment how the temptation was taking hold of him but then he remembered our lesson and the spirit he felt and refused. He is awesome and his daughter wants to get baptized too. He and his family can get sealed in the temple for time and all eternity and im so grateful I have the opportunity to be here to help him out. They came to general conference with us and watched. They got to hear the first conference talk given in spanish and it was perfect because the message was perfect for him. We felt the spirit really strong.

Hey one more thing, I would like to invite all of my family and friends who are following with my blog but aren´t of our faith to read this talk from the general conference this past weekend. It descibes perfectly why I am out here in argentina for these two years serving the people and teaching of Christ. Elder David A. Bednar of the twelve apostles descibes it perfectly and i want to invite all of you to read it even if its just for curiosity. Les prometo que es muy bueno!"

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2014/10?lang=eng&vid=3822608486001&cid=10

Well thats about all i have time for. I hope you are all doing well!

Elder Whitaker