Monday, November 30, 2009

Thanksgiving, not a big deal!

Congratulations Cameron!!! My companion said that the people there are really humble (poor) but talk really fast. And the land is like you are in the movie Tarzan.

Thanksgiving went by without me even thinking about it. Thanksgiving was never really a holiday that was important to me for two reasons. One I have never been a really big eater, and two I always had to wash the dishes. Thanksgiving was like dish breeding day. (What a terrible Mother he had!)

Tell that guy who got baptized congratulations! One thing I have noticed is that people never really learn anything until after their baptism. I have seen so many times people who have wanted to wait one year or two because they never felt prepared for a baptism when really the preparation is the baptism. When we receive the Holy Ghost we receive the help that we need to prepare ourselves for the greater challenges and covenants of life. Whereas if we don’t receive this companion, we will never learn those things we need to know. Baptism is like God’s test of faith for us so that he can see that we are ready and prepared to progress.

During baptisms usually we have one of the missionaries and one of the members give short talks and a testimony from somebody.

The next meeting we have with the president is in two weeks so hopefully I'll get the packages by then. If not well the next changes are on the twentieth. And their sending all the missionaries that go home in this change and the next home so that they can be with their families during Christmas. So chances are big that we might get changed.

The dentist did fix my teeth. Trust me, if he pulled them out you would have known. (He didn’t use Novocain)

We’re moving to a new house soon. But that’s all for now. Have fun!!

Elder Whetten

Monday, November 23, 2009

The Tooth Fairy

(We received an email from Jay on Friday saying that he had broken a tooth flossing and one of his crowns came off another tooth.....)
Well I was able to find a guy in the ward who had a good enough relationship with a guy that he would fix my teeth for free. But I am sure glad that I live in a country where they actually use anesthesia. (I don’t know if I spelled that right.) But I’m fine. Everything’s alright. Every missionary says that your first birthday in the mission is always really bad. And the second is really good. (We had a baptism on my birthday and it fell through) But she got baptized the next day. I received the package from you and from grandma on my birthday actually. President came to do interviews on the 18th so I was able to get them both.

Great story from deadliest catch! (On Friday when I replied to his email about the teeth I wrote this... Just watching "Deadliest Catch". One of the guys had a bad tooth and the Captian gave him a pair of pliers and said, "you're not a man until you pull one of your own teeth with a pair of pliers" Just thought you'd like to hear that....Bad Mom, Huh?) Although I wouldn’t do that just to live up to a mans view of what a man is.

I remember seeing ads for New Moon in Leon. There was actually a member in Leon whose last name was Luna (moon). And his family was a band named Luna Nueva (New Moon). They played music with instruments from Southern America. When the ads came out he was a little mad that they took the name of his band.

I don’t know an Elder Steimle. I don’t think I have met him yet.

I haven’t had a chance to bake my cake yet but we are changing houses at the end of the week. We are looking at two houses right now. One is nice with an oven, but a little expensive. The other is cheaper and has furniture but doesn’t have the oven. So we’ll see what happens. We were going to go to the church to bake it today but we didn’t have time.

So that’s about it for today. I’ll see if I cant send any pictures.

Elder Whetten

Monday, November 16, 2009

Building up References

Well another week has passed and everything has been all right. My companion is really cool and has a lot of talents that I want to learn.

Being senior companion has been alright. But now that all the blame is over my head it has only gotten a little harder. I really don’t know what to talk about today. Nothing much really happened this week. We are working with the members a lot to build up references for this December of 1000 baptisms.

Our zone leaders just went to Leon yesterday so I’m hoping to get my package tomorrow.

My companion has six months in the mission. And as for English, he knows a lot of words but he doesn’t know how to speak it. He has been inactive all his life but for some odd reason he came on a mission and changed a lot. He is a very good missionary.

We are looking for new house right now. The person who owned the house wants to sell it so we have like two weeks to find a new one and move out.

I’m thinking of using some of the money I got for my birthday to send home a package of the stuff that I have received from people that I am really not going to use in the mission. Just so it’s a little easier to pack.

I can't send pictures again:(

But that’s about all thanks for everything from everyone.

Elder Whetten

Monday, November 9, 2009

Senior Companion

Well changes came again and I got changed. Well my companion got changed. I am now a senior companion and receiving a new one to work in the same area. My new companions name is Elder Ortiz. He’s from Mexico City. (And I’ve only had like an hour with him so I don’t know much else about him yet.)

We had a zone conference with the president last Tuesday. Our whole zone had to take a bus to Irapuato to meet up with another zone to have the conference. But when I was there, I didn’t receive my package or any of my letters so I’m going to have to wait another month it seems.

And I can’t be a neurologist with archeology as a hobby who teaches religion at BYU. I wouldn’t have time for my family. My third companion Elder González leaves to go home today. He called me last night from the offices asking how I was and sent me an E-mail saying how thankful he was to have had me as my companion. I almost cried. Almost.

I’m really not sure what to write, just that I love you all and I hope the best for everyone. Be safe and enjoy life.

Elder Whetten

Monday, November 2, 2009

Random Photos

This was a guy working for a funeral service.








Me teaching the Virgin Mary




On a wet day


Dia de los Muertos

Well this has been an interesting week. First off in the beginning of the week for about three days was the celebration of San Judas. There were a lot of parades and fireworks and stuff. But I still don’t get why Judas should be a saint.

I’m going to go eat rabbit today. I’ve eaten it before and it’s pretty good. I remember when dad told me that if I’m eating something and I hear a crunch, not to look to see what it was. Well I would like to change that a little for all the other missionaries. Never ask what you are eating, or you will go hungry throughout your mission.

Here in Mexico they celebrate both Halloween and la Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead). They celebrate Halloween like us (but most choose not to because they think it’s of the devil). And then on November 2nd they celebrate la Dia de los Muertos. This tradition actually came from the Aztecs. The legend is that on this day the doors to the realm of the dead open and the dead are free to visit their families and stuff like that. People usually make shrines to all their dead ancestors in their houses. They put different colored flowers in them (different colors for different purposes), the food the person liked, this special kind of bread that is only made around this time called Pan de muerte, and colored wood shavings. Nov. 1st is actually la Dia de los Santos Innocentes. Which is like the day of the dead for kids who have died. They usually include toys along with their shrines.

Since I have been here I have developed a great interest in the ancient history of the Americas. This member had this book called the Huitziloposhtli, it’s the history of the world according to the Aztecs. From what I have read it starts off comparable to Genesis and pretty similar to the Book of Mormon. But yah, im definitely going to be reading that when i get home.

But yah, that’s about it. There are some pictures coming. Be happy and enjoy life.

Elder Whetten