I love TEXAS! I LOVE FT. WORTH!

WK# 1
1/28/10

Hey Family!

Well crazy! I love TEXAS! I LOVE FT WORTH! I have 2 companions, one is Sister Checketts from AK, and the other is Sister Vasquez from AZ. I have the best time with both. Ok, so I can only send one email a week to the family, so if you can do me a favor mom and email some people and tell them a message for me, I would love it, but I'll write to you first.

I am in the 7th South area Spanish ward in Ft. Worth. I have a nice apartment. I live in Sycamore Trace...so you can google it mom hahaha! Well I have awesome Spanish now, the Lord has blessed me. The most amazing thing is I have seen so many miracles since I have been here. I have actually taught in both English and Spanish! It's been a joy and a half. I have never loved my mission president as much as I love Pres. Thurston. He is a professional motivational speaker. He gave me a fantastic blessing and it was just amazing!

Here is my top 5 moments of the week:

# 5) I contacted alone by myself in Spanish while my companions were across the street.

# 4) I went on splits with a new Greenie...Sister Hinton and we were tracting and a lady yelled at us saying:

"Jesus Christ lives in my house" And Sister Hinton said: "Have you read the Book of Mormon?"
"NO, I DON'T LIKE IT!" door slam! hahaha

# 3) I taught a lady named Claudia who is going to prepare to be baptized this month. She is married to a member and speaks both English and Spanish.

# 2) We had a miracle lesson. We knocked on a door on accident thinking it was someone elses apt, but it wasn't, and she let us in and she accepted the message and is coming to church.

# 1) I invited a boy (Steven) to be baptized, my first commitment. He is getting baptized on Feb 19th!

So Texas has unpredictable weather! Oh mom, I have to get a suit coat so I'll put it on my credit card and the statement will come to you! Oh and my contacts are in the dresser in 2 boxes, I need them sometime! Oh Sophie is so CUTE! I can't believe you waited so long and didn't get it when I was home! Give her loves, and I miss Molly too!

Love,
Whit

Texas Fort Worth Mission Spanish

He wasn't kidding when he said that "she could leave on a dime." A dime it was!

Whit faxed her medical release forms to President Porter on the 14th of January, he then forwarded them to Gerald Lund in Salt Lake. We were told that the call could come very quickly, or take a few days, up to a week. Time became an oxymoron as our frustration grew while we waited patiently for the phone to ring in hopes of seeing DeLewis Porter on our Caller ID.

Thursday morning, the 21st, Whitney and I had just returned from our early morning gym work-out when the phone rang at just minutes before 8am. It was President Porter with the call. I called out to Whitney to get the phone but she was already on. He told her she was going to the Fort Worth Texas Spanish speaking Mission and that he would need to call her back with flight information, but that she would either be leaving Friday or Saturday. He called back a half hour later and said to her; "I hope you're packed and ready to go because your flight is set for Friday, Jan 22nd, tomorrow morning, at 6:50AM out of Burbank airport." He didn't have any information on the mission other than that the Mission President's name was Thurston. We didn't know for sure if that was the last name, or first.

There was no time to let it sink in. She was leaving for Texas in the morning.

Adam said that he would stay home to help us get ready and the tone for the day was immediately set into high gear. We packed, cleaned, made phone calls, shopped, cleaned again, and packed some more so that we were ready for an impromptu farewell party later that evening and Whitney's bags would be all ready to go. All went well at the party. A lot more people showed up than we had anticipated considering the short notice and rainy day n'all. It was great to see so many come out to support her.

The next morning we left the house at 4:30 am and arrived at Burbank airport at 5:30 am to find that her US Air flight had been cancelled. We then had a choice of booking the next Burbank flight Saturday morning, or booking a 9:30 am flight the same day at LAX...We chose LAX.

Whit's flight got off on-time but was long with a layover to Los Vegas, then onto Dallas, TX. I called the mission home and let them know of her flight change. She was picked up by President Wright Jenkins Thurston and his wife, Janett, taken back to their home for dinner and an interview before meeting up with her two new companions...That's right...another threesome companionship.

She called us here at home just before leaving the President's home. We spoke briefly about her flight and of her time with the President and Sister Thurston. Whit said she really liked them both and has a really good feeling about them. President Thurston wanted to test her Spanish so they had a five minute conversation in Spanish during her interview. He told her that her Spanish was good and that he was content in where her was placing her. I'm guessing that she's going to a Spanish Ward/Branch, but we won't find out till Thursday the 28th. P-Days are on Thursday's in this mission.

Here are some pictures taken at her farwell party and arriving at both airport/s. Once again she was anxious to get on her way!

Called to serve...

I got my mission call today. I am called to serve in the Fort Worth Texas Mission, Spanish speaking. I will get my address and have it posted soon! I leave in the morning for TX and will be loving life and completing the Lords work! I love you all and thanks for the support!

Get in the GO mode!

Well im sorry I havn't posted anything lately. Its been a very busy holiday for my family. I have been informed by my stake president that I need to get into go mode and start packing for the mission "otra ves" - again! I have been cleared and released from my doctors. I developed a stomach ulcer from stress of coming home early causing a delay in my papers and resubmitting process. But im glad to say its all taken care of and the Lord does provide! I am taking new leaps and bounds and being 100% grateful to my heavenly father for the oppertunity to serve him again. I have been able to request to stay in a spanish speaking mission. I am sending in my medical release to my stake president. Once that is taken care of he is going to fax it to SLC and then he will get a phone call in a matter or a day or so with my flight information and new mission call. I am very happy with the way it has turned out. Estoy muy contento con las cosas lo pasen. Sentir como traquilidad y estaba en mi casa en esta tiempo por como un proposito, estoy lista por todas las cosas en esta nueva mision. Me amo mi padre celestial y estoy agradecido por los bendiciones recibi! Pues esta Iglesia es la unica iglesia en todo el mundo cual tiene el completo autoridad de dios. Jose Smith fue una profeta de dios y tiene los llaves de dios para restorar la iglesia otra ves en la tierra! Thank you everyone for the love and support. I will post my new call within a few days! Saludos!