He has us graven upon the Palms of His Hands

The updates of the things happening to Sister Whitney in the Utah Ogden Mission…

 

First week in Logan!   The Monte Viste Ward! I have never received a welcome like that in a ward before!   They are unbelievably happy and excited to have sister missionaries!!   I never saw a group of people soo happy!!   They love us right off the bat!   Member Trust … check!   hahaha.   They help us out a lot.   With everything that we need.

 

Ooh for church I play the piano for the Primary!!   I miss that calling!   It reminded me when I was in the Primary.   I miss them.   Love the Primary and the songs are pure!

 

 We ate with the Bishop and his family 3 nights in a row!   When the Bishop’s wife found out that they were having sisters in the ward, she screamed!   hahaha.   It was awesome being in their house for dinner!   Love that family!

 

I’ve been learning that we need to come what may and love it.   That everything is to help us grow.   That we need to learn how to love the things as they are.   Also that a lot of things are out of my control and I have to accept it.   Also that I know that God knows best and that He knows how I will grow the most.

 

The Enabling Power of the Atonement is real.   With it, we can do all things.   Overcome all things.   I pray that we use the Atonement more in our lives, so that bad people can become good and good people can become better.   And more like our Savior Jesus Christ.   I love Him and everything that He gives me, good times and hardships.   I have to more learn to submit my will to His.   Like His will was swallowed up in the will the Father.   He atoned for us.   Everything for us.   The evidence is on the palms of His hands and feet.

 

“Jesus Christ, the light of the world is the only lamp by which you can successfully see the path of happiness and love for you and your love one.   For that way never faileth”   -Elder Holland

 

Los quiero para siempre!

Hermana D. Whitney

November  19, 2013

Children in my ward.

Logan Temple

 

Chicago, IL 60601

I just can’t believe how amazing the members in the city are!   Not that the members in my other area weren’t.   It’s just that this ward supports the missionaries so well like you wouldn’t believe and I love it.   We have a baptism tonight and he’s honestly one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met.   Straight up from Cuba about 4 months ago.   Comes to the U.S. and starts hearing from the missionaries.   What a blessing he’s had to be able to hear such a message after coming here.   I love it.

Hermana Milliron (my trainer/mom in the mission) and I went on exchanges for the last time this past week because it’s her last transfer before she goes home.  But my goodness did we have a blast!   Some things happened that I shouldn’t share (shoutout to Hermana Milli) and we just made the most of our time together that day.   So much success!   I love her and I’m going to miss her a ton 😦

We visited a less active family this past week.   We had a beautiful lesson with them about Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon.   By the end of our visit we asked if there was anything that we could do for them.   Right off the bat, the mom says, “Yeah, I want my son and niece baptized.”   I was surprised.. definitely didn’t see that one coming.   We taught those two kids this past Saturday and my goodness they’re so smart!   They understood a lot more than some adults even understand.   I loved it.   And they accepted to be baptized  🙂

This past week I have really felt the love that God has for me but more importantly for those that need to know of this gospel.   I’ve said it before in previous emails but He wants us to have a heart like His and know and feel the disappointment, the joy, the sadness, the excitement and the unsurety that many people have.   And I feel it.   I know people look up to the missionaries but I honestly look up to the members that aren’t missionaries as well.   It’s really because they are living out in the real world and still keeping strong.   That’s something truly amazing to me and something that has blown my mind even more so in the mission.

In case you were wondering.. the city is the best! 🙂 I wish some of my friends and family that are serving could come out here with me and serve. Y’all would love it!

Love, Hermana E. Whitney

Nov 18, 2013

Hermana Eishelle B. Whitney

With Sister Milliron (my trainer/mom)

tired feet under those boots

nice view in Chicago

Something New

Well, the news about transfers… I’m being transferred out!!!   NOOO!!!   I love the area, the members are awesome and I LOVE my district and most of all my companion!   😦 Las Chinitas no mas! No, mentira! Las Chinitas para siempre! 😉

 We had a great run here together!   We made the best memories, the hardest laughs that literally hurt hahahahaha, and had 4 baptisms altogether in the 3 transfers that we’ve been together!   The Buenaventura Ward, the district, and my companion will always have a special place in my heart!

 Well, Sister Arnell is training!!!   WHAT!?!?   And for me I am going to Monte Viste in Logan with Sister Claspell…does she sound familiar?   She was my companion in the MTC and we’re white washing!!   Really pink washing!   So true story, the area that we are going never had sisters in there!   So we will be the first sisters in that area!   Does that also sound familiar? When I came to Ogden, the area didn’t have sisters in a LONG time and we pink washed!   I’m excited to work together again with Sister Claspell and give it another shot.   In the MTC, we had our difficulties together but I know that we are together for a reason.   We’re just going to tear it up in Logan! (the coldest place in the mission!)

 Okay so Elder Don R. Clark from the seventy came to the mission tour that we had this week.   He gave us the most love inspired correction!   In other words, he rebuked us hahaha.   But it’s something that we all needed to hear especially as missionaries and members of the church.   Everybody was blown away and humbled!   I kid you not.   Almost everyone was crying because the spirit was super strong.   The best thing was that Elder Clarke stayed for the whole thing and talked for the whole time!   With things like this, I know that the Lord is looking out for all His children.

 So lately I have been thanking Heavenly Father for my trials and really being grateful.   I know that trials make you into the person that God wants you to be.   So they’re always for our good!

Well, I excited to go to Logan! In the Cache Valley Zone.   I can’t wait to see what they have to offer.

Love always and Forever,

Hermana D. Whitney

Nov 12, 2013

Hermana Danielle B. Whitney

Another baptism

Happy Hallooween (my district leader and his companion!)

If it is to be, it is up to me.

Buenas tardes!!   So I forgot my notes last Pday and there was some stuff I wanted to share and I have them with me now! Elder Martino of the Seventy and his wife came to visit the mission last week and it was amazing.   He told us “If it is to be, it is up to me.”   He was explaining that we can be all we can be and it is not depending on our companions or anyone else for that matter.   We can motivate others by complimenting them rather than criticizing.   There was so many good stuff he told us that day I was blown away.   Something interesting was when he was reading with us in Alma about Alma and Amulek. Alma (the missionary) reaches our to Amulek (less active).   Alma takes Amulek to go out teaching and preaching with him and if you read closely,   it was because of Amulek that the people being taught were “astonished”.   That’s the power the members put into the lessons when the missionaries teach with them.   It was amazing learning that.   So from now on to the end of the mission, us missionaries need to find an “Amulek” for every investigator we have.   I love it.   Bottom line that day: Teach with boldness, because it’s true.

On Saturday we taught our investigator who’s on date.  He’s from Cuba and has THE BIGGEST HEART.   I love him.   He’ll be getting baptized a week from today.   Something that touched my heart when we visited is when he took out his pamphlets that missionaries have given him in the past with The Book of Mormon and he also had this piece of paper with the calendar in the back of it.   There was a golden star of the 18th of November (the day of his baptism) and on the back of it were the baptismal interview questions.   He wanted to go through it with us.   I have never seen anyone study those questions as hard as he had.   It touched my heart to see how badly he wanted to be baptized and how badly he wanted to pass 🙂   It was a testimony-builder-moment! Haha.

On my way to this university (we email at Northeastern Univ), it started snowing!   And that’s how cold it’s been lately!   I love it.   It’s kinda weird that it’s that time of year already though.   I want you all to know that I’m very happy.   Mostly because of the privilege I have to be a missionary for the only true church.   It’s seriously so awesome!   XD   SHOUTOUT TO MIS PADRES: HAPPY 24TH ANNIVERSARY TODAY!

Love Always,

Hermana E. Whitney

11/11/13

My new companion fresh from the MTC Hermana Woolf

View from the back porch of our apartment

Another view from the back porch

The little NY part of our apartment (I picked that shower curtain)

 

Prepare to see HIM.

Thank you for all your letters!   They seriously bring a huge smile to my face when I get them and even a bigger smile when I read them!  😀

Hey we had a Missionary Musical Fireside yesterday!   It was in the Brigham City Tabernacle!   It was nice to be back in Brigham. 🙂 I  t was soo powerful!!   All the people who participated were soo good!   I did a duet with another Elder and we sang “Maybe I’ll Be There.”   I thought that this song went very good with the theme, “Prepare to see Him”.   It went very well!   I am happy that I was apart of it.

Ooh our recent convert got confirmed on Sunday and he’s just on fire!   He bore His testimony in sacrament!   Ahh I love him!  He was confirmed he then bore his testimony in sacrament meeting.   He’s the sweetest.   Then the ward mission leader spoke in his testimony about this new member’s enthusiasm for the gospel and about how we all can have that same enthusiasm.

We have another baptism next week!   I’m super excited! 🙂   This investigator is my favorite one!   She’s super special! She’s super humble and she has 3 kids.   We’ve been teaching her a lot this week, and she is amazing.  Her prayers are so wonderful at the end of every lesson; she is trying to follow Heavenly Father in her own quiet way.   She’s being strong as a mother raising young kids alone.   I’m really excited for her baptism next Sunday.   I’m learning a lot from her in the way she feels and follows the Spirit.    We came to a lesson to find her reading her Book of Mormon already, past where we asked her to read to. She’s a winner.

Oh, it was Halloween this week!   Like you all know!   We had to be inside by 6, so Sister Arnell and I pushed our beds together and watched “The Joseph Smith Papers” and Bible Videos and Mormon Messages all evening.   Girls’ night in! Hahaha

Love you all!   We all need to prepare to see Him.   I learned that all of our trials in our lives is necessary for our salvation. It’s for us to better enjoy the presence of God. the people who don’t give up will realize in the end that God never gave up on them.   My testimony is that He Lives and He Loves us with a love that we cannot understand.

Never forget who you are,

Hermana D. Whitney

November 5, 2013

Hermana D Whitney

All is worth in heaven.

Hello, everyone!   First week in the city: check.   I’m really just taking it all in.   Breathing the city makes my heart smile.   I’ve forgotten how much I miss being in this environment.   The people, the cars, the buildings.   It’s been a tough week just trying to get used to everything, even the work.   My feet have never been so sore my entire life!   But President Woodbury said that some of us may have sore feet, sore hands, or sore hearts; but all is worth it in heaven.   It got to the point where it was seriously mind over matter.   But I thought to myself, the Lord wouldn’t send me here to fail.   If anything, to keep hastening the work.   It’s way easy to become discouraged but I like to have a song in my heart and when I have that, ALL IS WELL.   Forreals.   You feel the Spirit and that’s what pushed me to keep going.   Oh! And buses are our use of transportation 🙂   Ahhh Yeah.   We’re loving it.   So in this area, it’s gotten to the point where even my leaders have told me that I probably shouldn’t speak to any single man unless he’s with his family.   I knew it was bad because that’s exactly how I was in Chicago Heights/ Indiana, but I had no idea it was this bad until I went out proselyting.   And if I do get myself in a sticky situation, then I can’t smile (that’s what I was told) because I’m a “smiley person” haha.   All I have to say is: Yikes!

I woke up Saturday morning realizing that I dreamed that night of how much time I had left on the mission.   The fact that I’ll be half way in two weeks kills me.   In my dream I just came to a realization.   And it hurt.   It hurt so bad just thinking of it. Because here comes the close of year 2013 and after that I know it’ll just be a blink of an eye, because that’s exactly what happened these past 8 or so months.   About a month ago, I saw a sign on some Sister Missionaries front door, but on the back of the door. It was placed there so they would see it each time before they left the apartment.   It said something to the effect of the fact that our children are watching over us on the mission.   It was worded much nicer haha but it made me think.   It’s a bit of a nerve-racking thought, but a beautiful thought as well.   That’s another reason I do what I do out here.   I love being a Sister Missionary!   People outside the mission hear this all the time but it’s really the best schooling for anyone, the best time to learn, and the best time to learn to be exactly obedient.   There’s literally nothing like it.

My new companion is from Provo, Utah!   She’s going to be 20 in a week on the 12th so we’re trying to figure out what we’re doing for her bday.   I’ll send some pics. Love you guys!   Thanks for the emails!!!

Love Always,

Hermana E. Whitney

11/4/13

Pres and Sis Woodbury and my new companion from Provo, UT

 

Gorgeous Sister Missionaries

New doors open when others close.

Top news right now for me: I’M GETTING TRANSFERRED TO THE CITY!!!   I can’t tell you how excited I am that I’m finally making it to the city.   I seriously cannot wait.   So that’s the new assignment the Lord has given me and I start that tomorrow!   So excited 🙂   I’ll be in a ward: Chicago 5th Ward and everyone’s telling me how much I’m going to love it all.   New doors open when others close and that’s where I have to leave Indiana, my area here, and my sweet baby girl companion Hermana Boushka.   So sad.   We’ve become the best of friends and truly enjoyed our time serving together.   I’ll be training a new greenie straight from the Mexico MTC and so will Hermana Boushka and she’s only 1 transfer (6 weeks out)!   She’ll be killin it.

Yesterday the English ward and Spanish branch combined sacrament meeting so that we could watch the Primary Presentation for the year and the youth from both congregations share Primary together.   I just LOVE Primary Presentations.   The Spirit is so strong and you could really feel the love that Heavenly Father has for His little ones.   Their testimonies are just so precious!   Not gonna lie, got close to tears a few times when they sung my most favorite Primary songs like ‘When I am Baptized’ or ‘I’m Trying to be like Jesus’.   Those songs always get me!   Especially when the children sing them.   The gospel is so simple, and so pure.   Simply beautiful.

Love Always,

Hermana E. Whitney

Hermana Whitney and Hermana Boushka

 

HAPPY!!!

 

 

Our Zone

 

 

With the Arguedas Family

 

 

with my investigator Maribel

Sister Aston and me

Sister French, Sister Aston and me

Be a little better… act a little nicer… love a little more.

Hermana Whitney and companion Hermama Arnell at the conference center

 

Baptism

General Conference was awesome!

Hey so when Facebook came for us… we are also allowed to use Skype and Facetime!   I don’t think that I told you guys that.   Also when that came out that didn’t want us to tract anymore.   So we became a non-tracting mission too.   WHAT!?   Times are changing!

NEWS: MY P.DAY WILL BE ON MONDAY NEXT WEEK… just soo you know 🙂

We’ve been having soo many miracles lately!   So do you remember when I told you guys that my companion and I were in a hole and we were working hard but nothing was coming out from our hard work.   But then I said that I feel that the Lord is preparing us for something much bigger…. is this all sounding familiar??   Now we actually see the big things that God is planning for us! 🙂 Miracles baby!!

We had a baptism on Sunday!! This guy, he was super ready, super Golden!   He was soo happy on his baptismal day!   He was smiling the whole day!!   How great was my joy… I can’t describe the joy of a baptism… I really can’t.   I think that was the BEST baptism that I ever experienced as a missionary.   Everyone was soo reverent.   The spirit was soo strong.   Loved it!   Miracle!

Also we had a lesson with a family yesterday… and let me tell you about this family…  Sooo the father was like yeah I don’t believe in the Mormon religion and in the Book of Mormon and he said that he would never read the Book.   I didn’t like going to this house because I never felt the spirit and he always fought about what we taught.   I really, REALLY didn’t like going to this house, haha but the miracle that happened… We READ THE BOOK OF MORMON TO THEM!   WHAT!?!?   He said that before we started that he believes all the things we will say because we don’t have a reason to lie to them.   So we read 3 Nephi 11:1-15… he was fascinated that Jesus Christ came to the Americas.   And when we were reading it… it was the very first time that I felt the spirit in that house!   Because they were just listening to us read the words of the Book.   I never felt the spirit so strong reading that chapter.   I loved it because it talks about the marks on Jesus’ hands and feet.   We asked how do they feel about it and the father said,  “That was beautiful.”   This is the same guy that said that he doesn’t believe and would NEVER read the Book.   There’s a special spirit in the room.   They invited us over again and they told us that the next time that they would pray for us because we always do it.   They offered, we didn’t.   All that was definitely a miracle.   We drove not to far off to say a prayer of gratitude.   I know that the spirit soften their hearts.

My dearest family and friends, this week has strengthen my testimony of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   I know that He is so aware of each of our circumstances.   I know that I am just as important to Him as He is to me.   I need Him every moment of everyday.   I need Thee every hour.   For the Lord is my strength.   I testify that weaknesses are strengths, you just have to dig deep to get it.   That’s something that I learned this week.

Be a little better.   Act a little nicer.   Love a little more.

Hermana D. Whitney

hardworking missionary shoes