2.27.12

My favorite thing about this week was going into the Primary and
speaking to the kids about times in our life where we chose the right
and they all raised their hands and told us which choice was the right
one and which one was the wrong one. It was so funny!!! All of the
little kids know us and when we walked in the yelled "ELDER WHITING
and ELDER CHAMBO!!!! haha Kids are the best thing in the world!!

My mission is just absolutely incredible!!! And just so you know don't
ever drink Alcohol or smoke cigarettes. Because they are Satan's tool
to stop you from progressing. Man it just traps people. And EVERYONE
DOES IT!!!! It kills me! We have a few investigators that are so close
to getting baptized right now but they just have a few hurdles to get
over first. I am doing everything I possibly can to help them.

Sometimes I feel like the Lord of the Vineyard (Jesus Christ) in the
parable of the Wild and tame olive branches in Jacob 5. In verse 47 He
says "But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened
mine hand, that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it, and
I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it;
and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long" In other
words "But what more can I do for my investigators? Have I not taught
them everything, have I slacked in giving them all the tools and
nourishment they need? No, I have taught them all I know, I have
served them in every way that I can, I have been there every step of
the way; and I have stretched forth my hand almost all the day long."

I will continue to serve and nourish the people that I love with all
my heart here in Lewiston. I do whatever it takes to help them find
the Light that Christ has to offer. I just love being out here on a
mission. I wish I could stay here forever. As Ammon said to King
Lamoni after Lamoni asked him "if it were his desire to dwell in the
land among the Lamanites (Washington Spokane Mission) or among his
people (Gilbert, AZ; Home) I say just as Ammon "Yea, I desire to dwell
among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die."
Alma 17:22-23

The Book of Mormon is changing me. I feel different, My prayers are
more sincere with my Heavenly Father, When I testify I feel it coming
from my heart. In the simplest way I can put it, my testimony is going
from my Head to my Heart.

Loves,
Elder Whiting

p.s. By the way the neighbors lambs had baby lambs this week!!!! They
are so cute!!! haha

2.21.12

Mothers Day is coming up and I have a gift. I am going to read the Book of Mormon by Mother's Day. I want to know if Mom will join me starting today! I started on the 17th!!!

Book of Mormon challenge
Highlight every time:
1) Christ's name is mentioned

2) Christ's attributes are mentioned: Faith, Hope, Charity and Love, Humility, Patience, Diligence, Obedience, Virtue, Courage, Trust, Honesty, etc.

3) Christ is quoted or his voice Ex) Thus saith the Lord...

4) Christ's Gospel: Faith, repentance, baptism, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end

*Read by Mother's Day

I started this on the 17th and I have not stopped reading since. At the rate I am going I will probably be done with the Book of Mormon in about 8 days. I can't put it down. I have it in my hand 24/7 and I have to force myself to eat during my meal hours because all I want to do is read the mark the Book of Mormon. (I may read it twice before mother's day but Mom you only would do it once)

The Book of Mormon is changing me. I feel the spirit's presence more and more each day. I have a different perspective on everything. I have more charity for the people I teach and meet. I can't explain in words the power that the Book of Mormon has for me.

I AM SO PUMPED!!! I'm on a spiritual high!!! I had my first Zone Conference this week and the training was on the Book of Mormon. There are a few things that I learned that will CHANGE MY LIFE, and my mission!
1) "Get out of the way of the Book of Mormon in the conversion of others" -President Palmer

2) Use the Book of Mormon to respond to every objection (In my opinion Dad that is the most important thing you can teach any one for mission prep. That everything comes back to whether or not the investigator has read and prayed to know if the Book of Mormon is true.

3) Become coverted more today than you were yesterday

4) Read the Book of Mormon with your investigator

The Book of Mormon is the most important thing that we have on the eart! It is proof that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind! It is proof that God still talks to us today through prophets and personal revelation. Because of the Book of Mormon I know that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are 3 separate beings because it proves that Joseph Smith truly saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the sacred grove. I know that the Priesthood authority of God is here on the Earth and that I have been baptized by that authority into the Kingdom of God. I know that with that Priesthood my family can be together forever. I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, all people can be saved and return to the presence of our Loving Heavenly Father and know complete joy.

And all of that comes from knowing one thing. That the Book of Mormon is true.

I really wish I could tell you all of my experiences but they are just impossible to put in words in an email.
I probably won't be sending very many letters this week only because I can't stop reading the Book of Mormon and so I'll be reading it the entire day today (P-day) rather than writing. But I will write everyone soon that I haven't already written back to!!!

P-day was switched to Tuesday today since Monday was a National Holiday and was great for Proselyting since everyone was home!!!

2.12.12

BOOOOYA!!!!! Such an amazing week!!! So this weekend (Saturday) we had
two baptisms!!! Man it was the greatest day of my life! I was so excited!!! One asked
me to baptize Harlee and Steve asked Elder Chambers to baptize him and then
they asked the other to confirm them and give the Gift of the Holy
Ghost. So we each got to baptize and confirm! The priesthood power is
absolutely amazing. I could not stop smiling the entire baptism. I
smiled so much my cheeks were red. So when I was baptizing Harlee
(She's a cute little 13 year old girl) she started laughing as she
came out of the water. I asked her why she laughed and she told me
that she was smiling so big she couldn't help but laugh! She has the
strongest testimony! She really gets it. We asked her a while ago why
she wanted to be baptized and she said "because I want the constant
companionship of the Holy Ghost!" Her soon to be step-dad Mike
should be getting baptized really soon! I love them so much!!! I would
do absolutely anything for them.

Brother Osborne is so incredible too!!! He is so excited to be a home
teacher. It's like his highlight of the church! I just love the
enthusiasm and zeal of TRULY CONVERTED converts to the church. They
both really "get it" they understand that this isn't just a church but
it's a way of life and salvation.

There is no greater joy than bringing another soul to our Savior Jesus Christ!

Elder Whiting

2.5.12

I just finished my first transfer!!!! It's unbelievable how fast time
flies!!!! I love lewiston so much! So every six weeks we have
"transfer calls" and last night was my first one and the
results........... Elder Chambers and I are...... staying in Lewiston
together! uh-WOO-HOO!!!!! I'm so happy because we have a ton more work
to do here together before we leave.

Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting and the 1st councilor of the
bishopric got up and bore his testimony on missionary work and bore
his testimony on "How blessed the ward is to have Elder Chambers and
Elder Whiting who work hard and follow all the mission rules exactly."
Then two other people mentioned us in their testimonies and said that
"it's easy to send these missionaries to your friends and family
because you can trust them."

Man I was so happy because the members are beginning to trust us more
and more so the work is moving forward!!! It made me feel like Ammon,
Aaron, Omner and Himni (sons of Mosiah) when the King of the Lamanites
converts to the church then he sends a decree to all the land and
basically says "Nobody harm the missionaries and listen to every word
they say" So then the sons of Mosiah go in and baptize thousands. Now
Elder Chambers and I aren't going to go out and baptize thousands (as
much as we'd like to) but when the 1st cousilor in the bishopric said
that everyone should refer their friends to us, it opened up a lot of
doors for us just like The king of the lamanites did for the sons of
Mosiah!

There were just so many miracles this week. We have two more people on
date for baptism for March 10th!!!! We also have 2 baptisms this
saturday! I'm so excited!!!! We have 3 students from the college that we are
teaching that are the elect!!! One girl is on fir,  she fasted
yesterday to help get an answer on the Book of Mormon. We had a lesson
saturday at 1 and she started her fast at 2 while working 8 hours at
Subway making subs, on her break she read 3 chapters of the Book of
Mormon and then she came to church and broke her fast at 2 on sunday!
She fasted for 24 hours!!! She keeps saying during our lessons, "I can
feel the answer coming!" She said that she can feel the Lord softening
her heart to this church.

As much as I love everyone outside of the Spokane Mission I never want
to come home. This is the best thing in the world being on a mission!

Loves,
Elder Whiting

Family,

You guys would be such incredible members to go on lessons with the
missionaries and you would be the best fellowshippers. The best thing
for spreading the gospel is to be a friend to the people the
missionaries are teaching. Go out with the missionaries as much as you
can! And really be friends with the people you teach with them. Don't
think of them as people you're teaching but rather friends that you
are bringing into the gospel. Life long friends.

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