"It's a wonderful thing to have this truth"

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Hey Familia,

¿Como le va? I miss you all so much!

Okay, So I got two letters, I got one from Jess and it was a dear elder, and from dad and Bryce and the letter you mailed mom on the 21st. Today I get an hour on the computer so I had time to read your emails. Tell Pat hi and I’m glad she is feeling better! So I still haven't gotten a package and I’m out of shampoo and hairspray lol its interesting.

Well today is so different because we are the only missionaries in the GUA-MTC, and all 13 of us are north Americans. There is a 3 week cycle where missionaries transfer in and out of here and today all the missionaries who have completed their time here have now transfered out and have gone to el campo (mission field) and so its crazy. (Tracie's Note: The Provo MTC is currently on lock-down due to the recent Swine Flu outbreak in the P-MTC so no missionaries are leaving Provo for the next 2 weeks, this means that no new missionaries will enter the GUA-MTC and those who have completed their time there have moved out into the mission field. This leaves only the 13 North American missionaries, including Whitney, that arrived in the GUA-MTC three weeks ago there for at least the next two maybe three weeks...Can you imagine, only 13 missionaries in the the whole GUA-MTC for at least two weeks...That's some GOOD one on one time with their instructors).

I had my divisional and I went on splits on Tuesday and we were gone from 8 am to 5 pm and it was interesting. I got paired up with a native who only spoke Spanish, not funny! So I struggled talking with her. We contacted door to door all morning about 97 homes. Here they have door bells and intercoms no one comes to the door accept a man who answered the door, and he wasn't wearing pants, and chewed me out in English. It was funny, my companion was like “What was he saying?” and I tried to translate but it was classic. He said; “I lived in SLC for 3 years and wasn't baptized, so I wont get baptized here thank you!” and slammed the door lol.

Well its crazy the bus here really doesn't stop, you jump on and off lol. So the rest of splits was crazy...It's so nasty hot that I was sweating in places I have never sweat before, and as I said earlier my companion speaks no English, so she didn't tell me about this person we had an appointment with. So we get to this house with all plexy glass and scraps for the walls and a woman answers the door, their dog then jumps on me and bites my hand. No skin broke and I was fine. Then we go inside and there are turkeys and chickens and hens walking around it was hilarious. My companion, Hermana Barios, starts talking in Spanish and I am catching most of the conversation, and then I bear my testimony and share a scripture and it was good, the spirit was defiantly there entoces esta bien. I loved it but I don't like door to door contacting. But, you do what you gotta do.

Oh and so about the beans, its black runny soup beans with the consistency of poo or something and its got this gross spice in it, and it is sick, and I don't eat it, I avoid it if at all possible. I am glad you got the picture from Pres Christensen, and I am so excited to have you meet him and his wife, they are sweet. So we heard from Sister Cook of the YW General Presidency. She came to the CCM (MTC) and she spoke to us about virtue and it was awesome. I loved it all. She is the sweetest lady.

We do go to the temple every Pday. Its small and the sessions are in Spanish but we have the English headsets and then do some stuff in Spanish, its interesting but I love it! You think the elders here look young, that's a definite, lol, but not all are that young looking, that's just our district. The group of north Americans that went out today were older looking. lol It makes me laugh because I think about you and dad married each other and now I don't see the problem with it, I just laugh. But the spirit of elders on their missions is amazing.

So the toilet paper situation is different and yes it stinks bad. We have plumbing in the MTC but in the field its different. I have normal showers and its hard because the water is nasty and makes everything mold in .2 seconds. I haven't gotten sick at all from the water so its good. I actually don't have to purify the water there are Sparklets water everywhere so we use that to brush our teeth and stuff. I will send you some of the money in the mail today its 8 quetzals for every one American dollar. And I got a sweet scripture case, and side bag native hand made.
I am loosing weight its crazy probably because I’m so picky and because I sweat it all off of me. But my clothes are good, accept my old navy shirts are falling apart with the water, its not good, they are wearing out, but I’ll buy some shirts in the field when I leave. I can’t believe its been 6 weeks already, and my testimony has grown so much its crazy. My testimony of the Savior and for Joseph smith is more than I ever thought it would be, but its been such a blessing to me to teach and to become what the Lord would have me be.

I am so glad my blog is awesome, you must be doing well with it. I want to send you pictures so bad and print them but I can’t here so I have to wait 3 more weeks till I enter the field. Thanks for the TV updates and thank uncle Scott for the sports updates I can’t believe it all. And omg guess what happened the swine flu broke out in the MTC in Provo so we will be the only Americans here they won’t let anyone out of the MTC there.

Oh and you know how I said that the natives fall in love with you?! Okay, creeper story... So I sang that solo 2 weeks ago, and this elder loved me, and would always say; “HERMANA CANTAR”... which means “sister sing,” every time I saw him he would say that and I’m like no, and he says “porque no” which means “why not?” and I finally gave in like the 5th time he asked, and I sang for him. But then the real creeper story is when this other elder I didn't know wanted to take my picture, kinda like the creeper on the cruise ship, lol it was funny but I didn't let him take my picture. Its classic when the elders fall in love with the north American girls lol.
So we went to this place called las colinas which is a camp for the missionaries and members like YW camp, and stuff. There I hiked in the jungle with my comps and 2 elders, which I just love them they are great, and a spider crawled on my arm. I flipped out! It was classic ha, ha, they were laughing at me. No, the women at the temple didn't ask us for money she was just telling us how the lord blessed her even though she had no money.

I have mailed letters to seriously everyone like all of dad's family, and Grandma, and the Latham's, and all of my friends, and so I hope it got there safely and a letter to Brooke and Bryce and dads fathers day card, so it should get there this week. I will write Jess a letter but tell her I love her and I am proud of her passing her test, and I’ll write her more in the letter.

Brooke- Hi sissy how's my baby doing, I miss you a lot. I sent you a letter well actually 2 but I don't think you have gotten them but I just want you to know how much I love you and that I’m proud of you for working so hard to become a nurse and you can reach what ever goal you can set your mind to.

Bryce- I sent you a letter too and I hope you get it soon. I’m so proud of the priesthood that you hold never take it for granted, and I’m so glad mom and you are reading. I have decided to re-read the Book of Mormon too and its been awesome just going through it and seeing the wonderful experiences the Profeta Nephi took from the hundreds of years of scriptures and compiled the 532 pages or so of the BOM. Always keep in mind that the scriptures are so important and I hope you learn to love them.

I challenge everyone who reads this to share your testimony of the Lord and Savior jesucristo to a friend. The most important thing is also your testimony of the Profeta José Smith and all he has done for us because without the restoration we would be like any other church. The lord will fill your mouth when you speak. Then Satan will bind you so you wont speak. I have grown such a great appreciation for my testimony and I share it with everyone I talk to and I challenge all to do that, and even place a Book of Mormon or invite someone to church. I know the gospel has blessed my life and the Lord has died for me and my imperfect life but that's the glory through him we can be saved. I know how important eternal families are and that I can have an eternal family and be married in the temple for time and all eternity. Its such a wonderful thing to have this truth.

Oh and about the rain its crazy, its hot and rains buckets of hot water. I can’t believe Jenn is having twins so awesome! And omg Allyssa is pregnant, so crazy! I am doing well with my Spanish. If you wanna know, I’m kinda at a stand still and not progressing much so I’m focusing on the spiritual aspect of it and its helping. How are the Croziers are they moving back or what's the deal. I haven't heard from them at all. I’m excited to get the packages its been forever and I miss U.S food so much, and its crazy how much I miss just soda! I cant drink soda, and its ahhh crazy, and the fact I don't have candy. Ha, its funny...the humidity here makes chewing-gum soggy, its gross, you pull it out of the pack and its nasty. (Tracie's note: Darn, I sent Whit about 20 packs of chewing gum last month). Oh, I think I’m going to study ESL when I get home to be a teacher for Mexicans, well I mean its like I’ll teach English to Spanish speakers. And I think I’ll be in the Liahona soon so look, okay!

love you all bye!
Whit

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