Week 9

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been another amazing week here at NOM.  I sure do love it here.  We had transfers this week.  You all guessed it I stayed.  I am so grateful that I have another week with Sister Belka.  She is so amazing.  I learn so much from her.  She is always doing something to serve me each and every day.  She is the most Christ like person I have ever met.  I love her.  She will be my forever friend.  I hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving.  It sounds like you all got food poisoning.  Funny thing is that I was sick myself ha ha!! I was puking my guts out Friday Morning as well.  Now that is funny.  I took a Fish Oil pill without eating anything, and within 10 minutes I was in the toilet, but the worst was it smelt like raw fish.  Ah I thought that I was going to die.  So I was so sick all day, but the work never stops.  Luckily we were here at the Trail Center and it was crazy busy so I couldn't stop and think about how I wasn't feeling very good.  I am glad we were all puking together.  I had a great Thanksgiving.  We spent this first part of the day writing Thank You letters, and decorating the senior couples doors with leafs.  We then went over to a members house for dinner.  It was so delicious.  No one in her family is members and so we had a really powerful lesson with them.  It truly made me realize what Thanksgiving was all about, and how grateful I am for the gospel in my life.  It made me want for them to be able to experience that happiness that we have.  We then went home, and cooked some mashed potatoes.  We had to cook 10lbs of Potatoes.  It was quite the task, but dang were they good.  We then headed over the Trail Center and had a feast with all of the sister missionaries, the Senior Couples, and our Mission President, and Trail Center Director.  It was so much fun.  All the sisters put on a singing performance of songs that they have all wrote about the pioneers.  They are all amazing!! Your all going to die, but I totally sang a solo in my opera style.  Heavenly Father all of a sudden gave me this beautiful voice.... OKAY OKAY we all know that I can't sing AT ALL!! I am so grateful for all of their talents though.  We then got to watch the Best two Years.  It is so much funnier when you are a missionary.  I was rolling at some parts.  Oh the life of a missionary.  So that was Thanksgiving!! It was a great day! I sure missed you all, but I am so grateful for the family that I have here. I feel like I have 20 sets of Grandparents, and 26 Sisters.  It is the greatest.  Especially during the Holiday season when I miss my REAL family. 

This week started off a little rough.  I was struggling.  People say missions are the hardest thing that they ever do and this week I truly believed that.  I have been fine since I have been here, but for some reason this week was super hard.  I lost my confidence again.  I miss people loving me for me instead of who I am going to become.  It was just a rough week.  Elder Watson pulled me into his office, and told me how much he loved me, and that great missionary I was.  He told me exactly what I needed to hear.  He told me some personal experiences that he has had, and we both just sat there and cried together for over an hour.  I was so grateful for a Heavenly Father who has put people in my life for a reason.  Elder Watson then gave me a blessing.  The spirit was so powerful, and just what I needed.  It was good to be able to know that Heavenly Father was proud of me, and that he does love me.  Elder Watson is amazing.  I have learned so much from him, and will be forever grateful for all he has done for me.  He knows that I love my Diet Coke, and Diet DP.  So he always sneaks me some.  Yesterday he brought me one over to the house, and said I better keep my mouth shut haha!!  Ah I love my Caffiene, and he is the best!!! 

The Trail Center has been hopping since the Ginger bread started.  We have had so many non members come through the door.  I love it!!! I am amazed at all of the people who have come for gingerbread, and have come up stairs to get a tour.  There is one tour that I will never forget.  This couple came in to talk to Sister Lattey about their family history. She had to figure something out first so I talked them into coming on a tour.  They were both non-members, but will soon be members.  I just know it.  They were from a church called the Nazerians.  I started the tour off by just teaching them about the Restoration. He told me that he had a really hard time with knowing that there was a prophet on the earth today, and that Joseph Smith really saw God the Father and Jesus Christ.  Words were just coming out of my mouth as I told him how I was able to gain a testimony that there was a living prophet on the earth today, and the blessing it is each and every day.  I then told him that he could receive that testimony for himself that we have a living prophet on the earth.  It was so powerful.  Our tour continued.  We didn’t talk much about the pioneers instead he learned the whole first lesson.  They asked so many great questions.  At the end I was able to bear my testimony of the temple.  I was able to tell them that they could be sealed together for time and all eternity. I was able to tell them the blessings that have come into my life because of the covenants that I have made in the temple.  They truly want that, and desired to know more.  They left with a Book of Mormon, and I got all of his contact information.  He said that he knew there was something special about our church as I told him about the living prophet, and was able to bear my testimony to him of what I knew to be true.  It was so powerful.  I turned to him and told him that he didn’t come here just to find out about their family history, but to know where he could find happiness, and it is only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am so excited to start working with him. I love the Trail Center.  I love being able to give tours to people and watch them feel of the spirit for the first time.  There is nothing greater!! 

Sharon is set for Baptism on December 8th now.  We are so excited, but what is even greater is that Ramsey is going to Baptize her.  Ah I am so excited!! I wish you all could have seen his face as we told him.  He was beaming.  There family is truly converted.  They have changed, and are going to do so many amazing things in the gospel.  I love this work and am so grateful that I get to be apart of it.  There is no place that I would rather be then here!! I hope that you all had a great thanksgiving and will get better soon!! I am so sorry that you have all been sick.  Know that I love you, and pray for you always!! This Gospel is true so SHARE IT!!!

Love always, 

Sister Whitt

Week 8

Dear Family and Friends,

What a great week it has been in NOM. (Nebraska Omaha Mission) We have had so many miracles this week, but the biggest one is that CLAUDIA, RAMSEY, AND CHRISTINA GOT BAPTIZED.  It is a day that I will never forget.  We were going to have them wait another week, but Sister Belka and I prayed so hard to know what to do, and we received the answer that they needed to be BAPTIZED on Friday.  We felt very strongly that they needed access to the full atonement, and the power of the Holy Ghost to do the things that we were asking them to do.  We had 3 days to get everything ready!! It was crazy, but so worth it. So Friday came along.  We were at the church to fill up the font.  We started filling it at 4:30, but we stopped filling it because a lady walked in who was catholic, and we knew she needed a lesson, and so we started teaching her and turned the font off because it was too loud.  The lesson went great, the spirit was so strong, but she wasn’t willing to meet with us again, but we planted the seed hopefully.  So we looked at the font and knew we were in trouble.  So we hurried and said a quick prayer.  When we opened our eyes Brother Jackson (a ward member) was leaning over the font, and was like sister we have a problem.  This is nowhere near full and we are running out of time.  Where is the pots and pans?  Let the fun begin.  So for the next hour we have 4 faucets running at a time and were running back and forth from the kitchen to the bathroom to the font.  It was a riot. Half of the water ended up being on the floor, but don’t you worry we got the font filled just in time.  So Claudia and Ramsey were supposed to be at the Church at 5:30, but around 6:15 they were still not there.  I started to panic a little bit that they weren’t going to show up for their own baptism, but come 6:30 they showed up.  Claudia was in tears. She said, “I don’t know what is wrong with Ramsey he doesn’t want to be Baptized”.  So I wrapped my arms around he and told her, “Claudia remember what we told you yesterday about how hard this day was going to be for you because Satan is going to do everything in his power to not allow this to happen.  I finally got her calmed down, and then in walked Ramsey.  He had no emotion or spirit whatsoever.  So I took him in the other room, and just talked to him.  He said, “I don’t know what happened I just don’t want to get baptized. I can’t feel anything.” Ah Satan makes me so mad!!  He had totally gotten to him.  I just took his hand and said, “Ramsey do you know why you have had such a bad day? Satan doesn’t want you to get baptized.  He has done everything in his power to keep you from getting baptized, but you kow that you need to get baptized.  You have prayed about it many times and the Holy Ghost has told you many times what you should do.  So we aren’t going to let Satan win are we? He then with tears in his eyes said I know.  We watched a film with him about the Savior, as tears rolled down his cheeks he turned to us and said I am ready.  I will get baptized.  I am so grateful for that experience that I was able to be a part of.  That I was able to see the power that the devil can have, but also to see the power that we have.  That we are able to overcome Satan as we center our everyday lives on the Savior and his teachings.  I will never forget that experience.  I have been to many baptisms, but today was so different.  Today I truly understood the importance of Baptist.  I understood and was able to remember those covenants that I made 15 years ago.  I finally realized what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ.  Claudia got baptized first.  As she came out of the font she was beaming.  She had the biggest smile on her face.  She just sat there and cried and then would laugh.  It was so darling.  Christine who is nine went next she was so excited and just so dang cute. My favorite was to watch Ramsey though because he had such a rough day, but to watch his face and all of the grief and pain disappear was something that I will never forget.  He automatically had a new light with him.  I realized that this is why I am here.  To witness miracles and get to be the Lords servant.  As I think back to the first time I met them and then think of who they are now I am in awe.  They are completely different people and are as humble as they come.  They have allowed the power of the atonement to change them. They have become fully converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They will ENDURE TO THE END.  I will forever be grateful that I was able to play a part in their conversion. 

This week the gingerbread festival started.  It is so amazing.  We got to set up for Christmas this week which was so fun.  I loved every second of it.  I can’t believe that it is already this time of year.  I love this time of year.  So back to the gingerbread.  We have over 100 gingerbread house downstairs in the trail center.  They are made from ward members, and just anybody in the community.  This is the 27 year they have done this.  The houses are incredible.  I am amazed at how creative people are.  Last year we got 500 referrals from the gingerbread.  There was 25,000 people who came here.  Talk about amazing.  So the trail center is up and running.  I am so excited!! I will be sure to send lots of pictures.

It has been such a great and humbling week.  I hope that you all have a great THANKSGIVING!!

Ten things that I am grateful for

1.       Being able to sacrifice 18 months to be a Missionary

2.       My amazing family and friends

3.       I am grateful for the power of the Atonement

4.       I am grateful for a companion who loves me, and teaches me something every single day

5.       I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knew me, and is so aware of me.

6.       I am grateful for my testimony and the opportunity that I have to strengthen it each and every day

7.       I am grateful for TREATS!!

8.       I am grateful for nice friendly people who listen to my message

9.       I am grateful to be in Nebraska and to be able to work with such amazing missionaries and leaders

10.   I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and his Atoning Sacrifice for me!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Sister Whitt

Week 7

Dear Family and Friends, 

I can't believe that another week has come and gone.  Time continues to fly by ah!!! It needs to slow down!! I can't believe that I am almost through my first transfer.  I continue to love missionary life, and truly know that this is where I am supposed to be.  Yesterday I had an amazing surprise.  I was sitting up front waiting for a tour when someone came in the door.  It was Sister Belka's turn to take the next tour.  She stood up and said hello.  I couldn't see who it was and then I recognized the voice.  It was TROY!!!  I can't even tell you how excited I was to see him.  To hear how all of you were doing, but also for him to experience this amazing place that I get to serve in.  For him to feel of the spirit.  What I loved most was the opportunity I had to share my testimony with him.  It made me realize how truly important this work is, and that we need to share it with everyone we know, but most importantly share it with the ones we love.  To uplift each other, and help each other return home.  It was so awesome to be able to see him.  I know that Heavenly Father placed me at the trail center at that given time, and allowed troy to come in at that exact time so we could see each other.  I am so grateful for all of you who are so supportive.  Who love me for me, and are keeping me in my prayers.  

This week we have seen so many miracles.  We went and taught Claudia and Ramsey on Tuesday this week.  During the lesson the kids were running everywhere, and there were so many distractions. They had just told us that they were still chewing.   Sister Belka and I were both getting a little frustrated and the spirit was just not there.  I prayed that I would be able to not be distracted and teach with power.  I all of sudden was overwhelmed with a strong love for them from myself, and also Heavenly Father.  As tears rolled down my cheeks I began to tell them how much I loved them, but most importantly how much Heavenly Father loved them.  I then said, "As I representative of Jesus Christ I promise you that if you will read your scriptures EVERY DAY the temptation of chewing tobacco will be removed".  At this moment I realized that I truly am a representative of Jesus Christ.  That I have his authority to act as he would act, to bless as he blessed, and to promise as he promised. I realized how much Authority I have as a missionary.  I have all the faith in the world that if they read their scriptures that the temptation will be drawn from them.  We can do anything through the power of the Atonement. The Atonement can not only give us the opportunity to repent of our sins, but also help us get through everyday trials, pains, and sufferings.  We have been blessed with this amazing gift, and we must take advantage of it.  We must keep ourselves clean.  We must be prepared.  Claudia and Ramsey aren't getting baptized this week because it is Stake Conference this week, and they have to get the Holy Ghost at church so we are pushing it back a week.  We both feel strongly that this is right, and that they still have some things to work on and become fully converted to the gospel.  

We went and taught some recent converts this week and quite the time.  There is an 8 and 9 year old boy who just got baptized.  The 8 year old went to Sister Belka and said I know you showered today, and she was like oh do I smell clean and he was like no your hair looks wet hahah!!! We were dying of laughter.  She had scrunched her hair that day.  So then the story gets better.  They started telling us about this Sperm Whale book that they got at the library.  They kept saying sperm over and over.  We all know how mature I am and of course I couldn't stop laughing.  So I am already struggling.  Well Baily Says the closing prayer and he always prayers for the animals.  Well he says please bless the people that they will be able to feel pain like the animals do when they kill them.  Then he asks to help the people to pay their taxes.  So as we all know I have issues with laughing during prayers, but the members that we brought started laughing, I start laughing, Sister Belka starts laughing, and his parents start laughing.  It was literally hilarious.  Bailey was a champ and took it well.  Gotta love little kids and their prayers. 

As I write this letter I think about where I was a year ago.  I was dating Clayton. I was so unhappy, I was prideful.  I was not myself.  I was miserable.  I look at myself now and I am happy, myself, humbled every day, and so blessed.  I know that I had to go through those hard times so that I could appreciate and realize how far I have come.  I know that it is through the gospel that I am so happy.  It is through the gospel where I have received so many blessings.  It is through the gospel that we can get through the hard times.  We truly are so blessed to have the gospel in our lives.  To know the TRUTH.  To know the steps we need to take in order to return back to live with our Heavenly Father again.  We can't slack off.  We have to strive to do everything we can to better ourselves.  To be Christs diciples.  We truly are in the latter days, and we must be prepared to bring others unto Christ.  We must strive to be better each and everyday.  

I love this work.  I love being a missionary.  I know that this is the WAY. It is the only thing that can bring us true happiness.  Read your scriptures, develop a relationship with Heavenly Father, and follow the example of Jesus Christ. Have a great week!! I love you all

Sister Whitt