Week 21

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been another great week here in Omaha Nebraska.  So to clear up
so things I am not being trained again.  Sorry to confuse you all.  My
companion is training Sister Hamilton.  So we are in a trio. Sister
Hamilton is from Utah as well.  She is great!! She is so prepared, and
just darling.  We get along great.  It has been very interesting being
in a trio.  I know that Heavenly Father needs me to learn something
from this transfer.  It has been really hard, but my relationship with
my Heavenly Father has been strengthened, and I have been able to
better understand the Atonement.  I am so grateful for the trials that
Heavenly Father gives us because they make us become stronger.  I know
that as I do what Alma 36:3 says and put my Trust in Heavenly Father
he will carry me through this trial.  I am so grateful for a loving
Heavenly Father who knows me better then I know myself, and he knows
what I can and can't handle.  He knows what will help me grow.  All we
have to do is put our trust in him, and he will carry us through.

I love the Cleverly's (they are the new directors)  they are
incredible.  They have made so many changes here at the trail center,
and truly are helping us to become the missionaries that we need to.
Our tours are now all focused on the Restoration.  It is amazing the
difference that it has made.  We are also now taking tours as a
companionship.  It has been awesome to be able to take tours with so
many different sisters and learn from them.  We also are now serving
at the Kanesville Tabernancle in Council Bluffs (It is where Brigham
Young was ordained to be the next prophet.   It is about 20 minutes
from the Trail Center.  We will serve there once ever two weeks for
now.  We got to be the first ones to go over there yesterday.  It was
amazing to be able to learn from the senior couples, and to learn more
of the history.  So lots of incredible changes happening here in NOM.
The Rockbrook ward is doing awesome.  Jeff is still progressing.  He
still doesn't believe in the Apostasy, but I know that as we
strengthen his faith he will be able to put all of his trust in God,
and he will then know that it is true.  We got a new investigator this
week.  Her name is Cheryl.  She is so prepared.  She is in her 60s,
and her health isn't all that great.  She is a smoker, but is working
on stopping.  We had an incredible lesson with her about the Plan of
Salvation.  Especially the Atonement.  The spirit was definitely
there.  We are going to be meeting with her tonight.  We are so
excited!!  We were also able to meet with Ashley.  She will be getting
baptized on March 16 (DADS BIRTHDAY WOOT WOOT).  She is so darling,
and just soaks everything up when we are there.  I am so proud of her.

I was able to take an awesome tour to one of our members who came in
while I was on shift.  They were having kind of a rough day, and
needed to feel the spirit.  I loved that they knew that they could
come here.  It was incredible.  As we went through the tour we were
able to talk about what the Restoration meant to them.  It was amazing
to be able to hear there testimonies, and to become converted myself.
She is getting ready to get her endowments out.  As we were in the
memorial room the spirit was so strong as we talked to her about how
she can be prepare, and to talk about how far she has come.  Heavenly
Father's love for her filled my heart. It was so incredible. She will
be my friend forever!! I love that family so much!!  I am so excited
for her.  I am grateful for the miracles that happen each and every
day here at the Trail Center.  I love it here!! I also was able to get
a referral of a boy from Alpine, Utah who is Less Active.  I have been
working with him over the phone.  We had such a powerful conversation
of the Atonement.  At the end of the conversation he thanked me and
told me how much he needed this.  He then asked when I was coming home
and said when I get home I am going to take you on a date hahaha!!  I
just told him he better start going to church then, but then went on
to tell him that he needs to do it for him, and not for me.  It was
amazing to watch his heart soften as we talked about the Atonement.
He truly wants to change, and I am so excited for him.

I love this work and I am so grateful to be a missionary.  I am so
grateful for the things that I learn each and every day.  It is truly
incredible.  I know that Heavenly Father is aware of all of us, and we
must put our faith and trust in him that he will carry us through.  I
love you all and am so grateful for all of you.  You should all write
me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PRETTY PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! WITH A CHERRY ON
TOP!!!!!! Anyways I hope you all have a great week!!!!

Love always,
Sister Whitt

Week 20

Friends and Family, 

Yesterday marked my 5 month mark.  I can't believe it!!  Time is going by way to fast.  I don't like it one bit, but for now I am so excited to work with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.  This work is incredible and is such a blessing in my life.  So I am staying with Sister Graham, and she is training. This is her last transfer so I will kill off another companion.  I seem to be getting really good at this.   I guess Heavenly Father needs me to be trained again ha! There is something really important that I have to learn from this, and I am excited to be able to change and grow.  I just have to put my faith and my trust in him, and know that he sees the big picture.  

This week was really great.  On Monday night we were so lost at what we needed to be doing.  All of our appointments fell through, and the back ups that we had just didn't feel right.  So we of course prayed for guidance as to where we needed to go, and we got nothing.  I have never felt so lost in my life.  Usually Heavenly Father will tell one of us where we need to go, but for some reason neither of us knew what to do.  So we decided to go and try a less active family.  We pulled up to their house, and were planning on what we were going to say when all of a sudden this truck from two houses down pulls out of his driveway with his lights off and drives really slow past us.  He was so scary looking, and we made total eye contact.  So we both just kept going over what we felt the Smiths needed.  Well then Sister Graham just stops, and was like Sister he just turned around.  So we both get kind of nervous.  He then pulls into the driveway that is closest to us.  We both were immediately filled with the worst feeling.  We knew that we needed to get out of there fast.  I have never felt the spirit leave me so fast before, and haven't felt so dark.  He kept following us, and finally Sister Graham turned, and we lost him.  It was so scary, but I am so grateful that we both were able to listen to the spirit, and know where God needed us.  So we prayed again to know where we needed to be because that obviously wasn't where we needed to be.  Again we got nothing.  It was around 7:45 so we both were like let's just go in. So we were driving home, and I just didn't feel right about going in.  I have promised my Heavenly Father that I am going to be exactly obedient, and we can't head in till 8:30.  So I just prayed so hard and told Heavenly Father to send us a text as to where we needed to go.  Within five minutes we got a text, with an address of a LA that we had asked for a couple hours prior.  We were right by the exit we needed to get off.  So we went to the house, and could hear them there, but nobody was answering.  I knew that Heavenly Father needed us somewhere.  So we tried the next house, and he wanted nothing to do with us.  We started walking to the car, and I was like NO we gotta try this next house.  By the look on Sister Graham's face I thought that she was going to kill me.  She was so mad haha, but hey we are here to do missionary work.  So we tried the next house, and nothing.  She was terrified by us, and just kept saying I can't talk to you I can't talk to you!! So we smiled, and left.  We then got in the car, and were driving down the street when a man was walking to his door, and so I knew we needed to go and talk with him, but then we couldn't park anywhere so we were driving around, and saw this family.  I jumped out of the car, and went and talked with them.  He was very nice, but so happy with where he was at.  So we left him with a Mormon.org card, and bore our testimonies.  I got in the car and was so confused.  I felt so strongly that somebody needed us tonight, and we got nothing, but then it hit me.  Heavenly Father was testing us tonight.  He wanted to know if we were willing to sacrifice everything that we had to be obedient, and to listen to the promptings of the spirit.  As frustrating as this experience was I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to allow Heavenly Father to trust me with his children tonight.  I am grateful that he continues to teach me every single day.  Even if it isn't something that I necessarily want to learn. I know that he loves me and is so aware of me personally.  

We had a really powerful lesson with Jeff this week.  He was able to come to the trail center, and we watched the Joseph Smith movie with him.  The spirit was so powerful as I was watching the movie.  I was filled with such a powerful love for Joseph Smith.  Where would we all be without him?  I know that he was a true prophet, and that he restored this gospel to the earth today.  I am so grateful for all that he went through.  He suffered so much, and he did it all for the Lord.  What an amazing example he is to us.  After we watched the movie Jeff had such a change of heart.  He knew without a doubt that Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and that the Book of Mormon is true.  We all were able to bare powerful testimonies of Joseph Smith and the Restoration.  It was so powerful, and the spirit was definitely there. We then asked him to be baptized again, and he again freaked out.  I know that slowly but surely Jeff will realize that this is what he needs.  He will realize the Happiness that the gospel can bring to him, but for now we have to just keep praying for him.  

This Sunday I was able to play a duet in Sacrament Meeting with Sister Bown.  I am so grateful for the many talents that Heavenly Father has blessed me with, and the opportunity that I had to share them.  The spirit was so powerful.  We only had two days to practice. We played it the best we ever had.  Sister Bown just turned to me, and said it is amazing what the spirit can do.  We truly are so blessed to be able to have the spirit with us to comfort us, strengthen us, and to help us to know truth.  

I hope you all know that I love you so much.  I am so grateful for the experiences that I am having here.  I love it, and will be forever grateful for it.  This gospel is true! It is the only way that we can have true happiness.  I hope that you all are doing well, and enjoying the snow.  Go ski some runs for me!!  Love you all

Sister Whitt

P.S HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!! 

Week 19

Dear Friends and Family, 

I can't believe that you had an apostle come to your Stake Conference.  That is truly amazing.  President Welch speaks like an Apostle so to think you had an apostle as well.  Wow you are pretty lucky. I can't even begin to imagine how powerful the spirit had to have been.  It sounds like it was just what you all needed to hear.  I hope that you all take the counsel that he gave you, and CHANGE!! There are so many times that we have these amazing spiritual experiences, and then we don't do anything about it.  We must change.  That is what this gospel is all about.  If you notice in each talk that is given there is always a commitment so write it down and put in on your mirror so you remember, and then strive each and everyday to live that commitment.  There will be days that you fail, but that is what repentance is all about. 

This week was such a humbling week.  Heavenly Father is really trying to teach me as I have given him my heart, but some days I give up before he is able to really mold me into who he wants me to be.  Each day I am striving to become better. We had an awesome district meeting where my mind was just going.  I was receiving so much revelation, and it was exactly what I needed to hear.  He talked about how the people we are teaching are Gods Children, and so we must be the best teachers.  He talked about how as we live the schedule we show the Lord we are obedient, and as we do that we will gain his trust with his children. He will put those who are prepared before us because he trusts us to teach them, and help them come unto Christ.  This hit me so strongly.  As I am EXACTLY obedient I am proving to Heavenly Father he can and should trust me.  Therefore I will see miracles.  Sister Belka taught me how to not just be obedient, but to be exactly obedient.  She taught me that I can’t just do what is asked, but I have to do more than is expected. I have to give it 120%.   Lately I have just been doing what is asked.  I haven’t been proving to Heavenly Father that I am willing to do whatever it takes.  I have so much to work on, and so much to change, but I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is allowing me to change, and is preparing me to be a DAUGHTER in his KINGDOM.  He then asked us each who we were before we came.  So I sat there and thought to myself who I was before I came.  I was very prideful.  I cared so much of what everyone thought of me. I was always trying to impress people when who I should have been impressing was my Heavenly Father.  I did the bare minimum in everything especially the gospel.  I remember nights when I would be too tired to say my prayers, and so I would say them in bed and fall asleep.  They never meant anything.  I never understood the Atonement. I didn’t realize the strength that it could bring me, and I didn’t understand what true repentance really was.  Everything and everyone came before the gospel.  I don’t ever want to be that girl again.  He then asked us who we were today.  Tears came to my eyes as I thought about how much I have changed.  Today I am a servant of the Lord.  I am striving to understand the atonement, and become who Heavenly Father needs me to become.  I am willing to do whatever the Lord asks me even when I know it is going to be so hard.  I am a representative of Jesus Christ.  I am changing and coming closer to Christ every single day. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for his atoning sacrifice for me.  That he took upon all of my sins because he loves me, and wants me to return.  I LOVE this work.  I will put my heart on the table, and allow Heavenly Father to shape, and mold me into whom he needs me to become.  I know that it is going to be so hard, and there are days when I am going to want to quit and give up, but I have promised my Heavenly Father that I will not quit. This gospel means everything to me. 

We went and taught Jeff this week. He is slowly progressing.   One of my goals this week has been to be positive especially when it comes to our investigators.  I told myself that I am always going to focus on the progress that they are making, and how I can help them to progress even more instead of what they aren’t doing.  I truly want to be more charitable.  So we went and taught Jeff.  We had a team-up come with us.  She is awesome.  She has recently returned back to church and I just love her.  Jeff had been really depressed all week. Him and Sister Bain have gone through so many similar struggles in life.  She was so perfect to come and teach him.  They both just talked back and forth about how they have been able to deal with things.  I just had the strongest impression that I just needed to sit and listen.  So I did.  All of the conversation was not gospel related, but from the moment we walked in Jeff changed.  He had a different light about him.  He needed a friend today, and Sister Bain became that friend to him. It is amazing how Heavenly Father truly knows exactly what we need.  I had the strongest impression to call Sister Bain to come with us.  I am so grateful that I was able to listen to that prompting.  I know that Heavenly Father knew exactly what Jeff needed.  He is going to come to the trail center this week which we are so excited for because he does not like to leave his house.  So this is such a huge step for him.  After we met with Jeff we went and taught Erica Meadows.  They are a LA family.  The first time we met them there house was chaos.  There was no spirit there. She was so prideful, and just didn’t want to change.  We have been meeting with her for a couple of weeks now.  Heavenly Father has made her be humble.  She broke her foot, couldn’t pay for her bills or her phone.  Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong.  Heavenly Father knew exactly what he was doing because she is a new person.  Her and her family are now reading the scriptures every single day.  They are doing so much better.  As we walked into their home this week it was a completely different feeling.  You could actually feel the spirit.  As we were teaching them Erica was teaching her kids as well.  It was incredible.  They have committed to come to church.  I am so excited.  Heavenly Father definitely has a plan for each of us, and as we strive to do all that we can he will bless us.  Because they are living the principles miracles have happened with their family.  As we were reading the scriptures Erica asked her little boy why they read the scriptures, and he thought for a second, and then said mom it’s so our family can become stronger.  It was so cute, and so powerful.  This gospel is the only thing that can make us be happy.  We must live it each and every day, because it is the gospel that makes us stronger.

I am so grateful to be here! There are days that it is tough, but not a day goes by that it isn't worth it.  I know that Jesus is the Christ.  I know that it is only through him that we can have the true happiness that this gospel brings.  It sounds like so many trials have been happening, but that is only because Heavenly Father knows that you can handle it.  As you continue to go to the temple monthly, read your scriptures everyday, pray, serve, and become like the Savior I can promise you that everything will work out.  You must be changing everyday. If you haven't been putting the gospel first then you must repent, and try again tomorrow.  Commit today to change and be better. Become like the Savior. I love you all, and am so grateful for each of you, and the blessings that you bring to my life every day!! I love you!!

Sister Whittaker