Monthly Archives: June 2015

June 29, 2015

Hello Friends and Family,

It was a week full of all kinds of miracles, seeing old faces and enjoying every little moment. This week we rolled up our sleeves and went out tracting, knocking on all kinds of doors. We weren’t having much success until we knocked on a door and a young woman answered and told us to come in. She let us sit down and we started talking about our church, the Book of Mormon and why we were here. She listened and asked all kinds of questions. She asked us to come back to learn more, and It just shows, that God is preparing people everyday.

About two weeks ago I stopped a women and we started talking to her about the church. We got her number, and finally this week we were able to meet with her. Her and her mother are so special and were willing to listen. I shared a scripture about our loving Savior, Jesus Christ and His unconditional love. They thanked us and asked us to come back because of the spirit they felt. This week I learned a lot about the spirit and how powerful it really is. We are nothing as missionaries without the spirit as we teach, and for others to be converted, we need to be truly converted ourselves.

This week we went up to Buda to drop off Sister Whitaker because she got transferred to Debrecen. The people of Szeged will miss her so much. She changed lives and will continue to change lives wherever she goes. We love you Sister Whit.

On Saturday, Szeged held a huge party for the whole zone. There were over 100 people and almost half of them I knew. It was great to see old faces and to meet new friends as well. We all came together, had all kinds of fun, played Mediball, learned how to Indian dance, and enjoyed that special night.

This week I thought about all the amazing people you meet on your mission, people that will forever have a place in your heart. Whether they are your companions, other missionaries, and the people you find and teach. This week President and Sister Smith finish their mission. How grateful I feel to have had the opportunity to serve with them and know them. They are incredible and have changed so many lives including mine. Thank you President and Sister Smith for your service, your love and patience. We will miss you. We will also miss all the senior missionaries who will be leaving. I have grown to know and love many of them. They have been wonderful examples to all of us. We will miss Elder and Sister Bagozzi, Elder and Sister Viernes and Elder and Sister Broadhead. I have such wonderful memories with all of these incredible people. Thank you all for your examples and love.

Thank you all again for your support and prayers. I hope you all have a great week. I love this Gospel. I am thankful for my Father in Heaven who loves and directs us every day. He loves us all more than we will ever know.

God bless.

 

All my love, and more, Whittaker Nővér

June 22, 2015

Hello Friends and Family,

Exciting things happened this week and we stayed very busy. We had zone conference this week so we hopped on a train and headed to Buda. We got there a few hours early so we decided to go to Buda Castle and look over beautiful Budapest. I can’t tell you how much I love being here on a mission. Hungary is a special place with the most incredible people. For anyone contemplating serving a mission, I can’t but encourage to do so.  I feel so grateful that God sent me here to be surrounded by these wonderful people!

You always leave feeling spiritually enriched from Zone Conference and your notebook is full of notes on how to be better and improve. This was a bittersweet zone conference because President Smith and his wife are finishing their mission in Hungary. They will truly be missed and not only did they bless many lives, but mine as well.

We went on splits in Debrecen this week with the Sister Training Leaders, Sister Sellers and Sister Geröly. We spent hours of finding, teaching and having a great time.

We had a great program with a sweet Néni who has been taught for almost a year from the missionaries. Only 5 minutes into the program she tells us she wants to be baptized in August. The spirit is real, and it touches and changes lives when they most need it.

This week I realized how incredibly powerful prayer and fasting is. I know that God will never leave us alone, and when we specifically pray for those people we love by name, God answers in different ways than we think. We had a great program with a special family we have been teaching. The wife made us dinner; we practiced English and talked about the Book of Mormon. We all bore our testimonies on what we know to be true and they listened. I know in those quiet moments, the spirit will testify and soften any heart.

 I want to wish my dad a Happy Fathers Day. I couldn’t have asked for a kinder, more loving, fun and faithful father who has taught me everything. Thank you for everything pops. I love you more then you will ever know!

I love this gospel. I know God lives. I know that when we truly humble ourselves and turn to God he will pour out all kinds of blessings. He loves us. I love being a missionary!

God bless!
All my love, Whittaker Nővér

 

June 16, 2015

 

Hello Friends and Family!

It was a successful week full of all kinds of miracles. We were able to find 8 new people to teach and met wonderful people along the way. Sister Whitaker met a sweet old lady on the bench while we were out tabeling. We made an appointment to meet with her again the next week and she showed up. We had a wonderful talk on the bench about the Book of Mormon and she said it has brought her so much comfort. Through it, she has felt that God really is there in her life.

This week we met with a woman who is going through major depression. We felt impressed to share with her the scripture, Alma 7:11-13. It talks about how Christ suffered for each and everyone of us, how He loves us and knows how to help us in our toughest times. The countenance in her changed and in the end she had a smile on her face. I walked out of that program realizing that as missionaries, it should never be about us. We are here to help lift those in need and bring hope and happiness to the ones that need it most. I have found that there really is no greater feeling than seeing that person you’ve helped, happier and closer to our loving Heavenly Father. Not only as missionaries, but also in our everyday lives. Try this week to do something nice, and treat those around you better than they treated you.

Szeged couldn’t be more beautiful, and not only do we walk everywhere but sweat buckets as well. The biggest thing I have learned this week is obedience. When we are obedient, God blesses us, and when we aren’t, He takes all those blessings and His power away. Plain and simple. I know that when we truly want to show Heavenly Father that we love him, it is through our obedience. Life is too short, so make the most of every minute.

I can’t tell you how much I love being on a mission. I have seen myself change like never before. My faith has grown stronger and I love my Savior with all my heart.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Be safe and God bless!

All my love, Whittaker Nővér

June 9, 2015

Hello Friends and Family!

It has been a crazy last two weeks with all that has happened. Last week we had transfers and sadly I had to leave Nyiregyháza. It was one of the hardest goodbyes, and I will never forget all the people and miracles we witnessed that transfer. It is so difficult to say goodbye to those I have grown to love and who were so kind to me. I will miss them terribly.

I am now off on a new adventure and was transferred to a city called Szeged. It is the most beautiful, lovely, hottest city in the country and I am loving it, sweat and all! I am serving with Sister Whitaker and Sister Heath.

This week we spent most of our time finding in the city, trying to find new people to teach and meet new faces. One of our most successful finding is tabeling out in the main square. My companion, Sister Heath who is an amazing artist chalked up a wonderful mural of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. We got many people to stop and even received some new investigators. One of my favorite things on the street is to stop people and talk about this wonderful gospel. I have learned that you can learn something from everybody. People are just waiting to hear the gospel and we are Gods instruments to do it.

Not to mention, the ice cream is amazing.

I love Szeged. I feel so grateful to wake up in the morning, to walk outside and to be in such a wonderful city, surrounded by exciting people. I feel so grateful to be a missionary and to be apart of His work. I already love the people here and I am excited to see what else Heavenly Father has in store this transfer.

I love you all, thank you again for all your love and support. Have a wonderful week.
All my love, and more…Whittaker Nővér