"I'm loving being a missionary out here in Argentina...."

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

Como están? Its fun hearing about all your spring break and easter plans! Im not jealous at all though because I´m loving being a missionary out here in Argentina! (also next spring break and the next year in general I will be in Hawaii ;)  haha) But seriously this week went really well!

We have a bunch of people we are teaching that are getting close to baptism which is awesome! Jonotan and Eliana are awesome. They are only teenagers but they have been super responsible about getting themselves to church every week and reading the Book of Mormon and all of that stuff. They received their difinitive answer that they want to be baptized during the general conference. Its been awesome to work with them. We are going to have the interview for them this week im pretty sure.

The other day we also found a family while we were in the bus. The 2 youngest daughters were singing so i turned around to comment that they are really good singers and we started talking. It turns out that one of their friends is a return missionary that just got back from Bolivia and is from our ward here so we set up a day to visit them. We only got to teach the daughter that has 18 years but we invited her to be baptized and she accepted and came to church this sunday and like it a lot!  Hopefully we will be able to talk with the rest of the family this week. It helps a lot that the return missionary always comes with us to help us out. 

The familia Kallus should have their papers in order so that they can get a turn to get married (sacar un turno?? i dont remember how to say that). so as soon as they get married they will also be able to get baptized. They are so awesome! it doesnt matter when we call them but if we call them they make time for us to visit them.

I´m loving working with my new companion Elder Deyoung. Hes super cool. Its my first time having an American comp in a long time, actually since i started the mission. Its pretty fun. 

Spirtitual thought for the week :

I believe that as we deepen our understanding of the Savior, we will have an increased desire to live joyfully and a conviction that joy is possible. Consequently, we will have a greater ability to go about each day with more enthusiasm for life and for keeping the commandments of God, even in challenging circumstances.

José A. Teixeira from this last conference

Elder Whitaker

"It has been so cool to see the changes in them".

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

¿como están todos? I hope you guys are all having a good spring break! Im enjoying fall down here in Argentina. It definitly cooled off a bunch. Im going to start freezing in a bit!

Well this week was awesome! we were able to have the baptism of norma and Ian! it was sweet. WHen they came out of the water Norma said, " this is the best choice I have made!" It has been so cool to see the changes in them! 

Well im beginning my last week with Elder Altamirano. He goes home to chile next week because his 2 years are up. It is weird to see that. Its crazy that now i only have 6 months left. Especially knowing that I´ll be attending BYU Hawaii and kinda knowing what will be happening after the mission its kinda weird!

Well I hope everyone has a fantastic Easter this weekend! I hope everyone can take the time to pause and remember why we have Easter.  The Church made a video about Christ and what he did for us. Its short, like 3 min but its super good! watch it! This message has changed everything in my life for the better. I know its true. Here is the link.

http://www.mormon.org/easter

Have a good week!

Elder Whitaker

This sweet boy's face is so precious.  It makes me so happy Ty is in Argentina, serving the people there!

"...I know this doesn't happen because of me or my companion, but because God is helping us out".

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

Todo tranqui aqui en romero. The work is going well. We have been having a good time down here. This sunday Norma and Ian are going to get baptized. They already had their baptisimal interview and everything. It has been such a blessing to have been able to find and teach them. They are examples to me. They are so ready to believe. Our only stuggle with Norma was that she didnt want to bother asking God if this was His church because she already believed it was and didnt want to bother Him. We taught them the word of wisdom the other day (the commandment from God that we shouldn´t drink, smoke, use drugs, or drink coffee or tea) and the next day she had donated all of her tea to her job. How awesome is that?

As we have been watching the conversion process in them we have also been able to see other people make changes in their lives as well! We have 5 other people committed to be baptized and a bunch of new people that we are going to begin teaching this next week. It has been awesome to see the growth of this area. I love being able to be a part of it. I kow that this doesn´t happen because of me or my companion, but because God is helping us out. 

Well the 19th was one of the hottest days i had had all summer, and the 21st was one of the first times i have been cold since i left La Costa. The 21st fall started and it feels like it jumped from summer to winter in a heart beat. It made me get sick. i was super congested and i didnt have any decongestant medicine so I had the idea to eat a super hot pepper to loosen everything up. It worked but it killed me in the process. I think my mom will put up the pics. at least it worked though haha.

spiritual thought for the week: Mosiah 16: 6-9

6 And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption.

7 And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.

8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.

 9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

We are getting close to easter. Its a great time to remember the sacrafice and resurection of the Savior. Without Him we would be without hope but because of Him we can overcome all things.

Que tengan una buena semana!

Elder Whitaker

Ty & his Chilean comp, who will be going home next week, having completed 2 years.

from Ty "we made a wall of cockroaches that we have killed so that the other cockroaches that try to enter have to climb over their comrades".