Monthly Archives: July 2015

July 27, 2015

This past week Meg’s new mission president asked that they only email for one hour on Mondays. She expressed her love to you all and her appreciation for you emails. They mean the world to her. But she simply has no time to respond to them. She still would love to hear from you. 

It was a wonderful week, and not to mention, I hit my year mark in the country! It’s weird looking back and seeing how far you have come. With the language, the people, getting used to the culture and especially yourself. I am so grateful for all that I have experienced and it has been a year I will never forget.

This week we had people come up to us and wanted to hear about the gospel. One day we were sitting on the bench under the shade enjoying some ice cream when a women comes up to us and asks about our church. We have an appointment to meet with her! Another time we were walking and this random kid comes up and asks for our number to meet! Wow, we were blessed this week. That sure doesn’t happen all the time.

We met with our miracle family this week and planned to talk with them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The lesson took quite a turn because of the promptings of the spirit. They mentioned how much they love us, want us to continue to come and teach them and what a special spirit we bring to their home. Although, they are not sure how they feel about this “Mormon thing”. In times like those, the best thing to do is sincerely bare your honest, simple testimony of what you know to be true. I’m sure it was weird for them to have two American girls of the age of 20, telling them how much their Heavenly Father loves them, or that God and Jesus Christ appeared to a 14 year old boy and answered his simple prayer. As missionaries, We leave everything…our family, our education, and put our dreams on hold so that we can share the gospel, so people can hopefully get a taste of heaven and experience the joy we’ve received. We do it because we love our Savior and we do it because we know it is true.

That night we both bore our testimonies and we felt the spirit work through us as we looked them in the eyes. The room was quiet and hearts were opened. They all asked us in the end what that warm, peaceful feeling was. It may take time for them to accept the Gospel, but something I have learned is that the Gospel changes people. It stirs something in them, brings them to a new light and closer to Heavenly Father.

I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know the atonement is very real. I am so grateful for my Savior who has brought more hope, more truth, more mercy, more love than anyone else who has ever walked on this earth. He died on the cross and suffered for each and everyone of us. I know God will help us, he will bless us and comfort us. He will help us to do more, and be more, than we can ever accomplish or become on our own.

I love you all. I hope you have a wonderful, safe week. I would like to give a shoutout to my grandma who just had a birthday! Happy, happy birthday to someone who means the world to me. Who was always been there when I needed her and who is my best friend. I love you grandma. I can’t wait to give you the biggest hug.

Sok Szeretettel, Whittaker Nővér

P.S. I ate cow liver this week. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Have a great week

July 20, 2015

Hello Friends and Family!

It was another great week and by far the fastest week I’ve had on my mission. It reached up to 105 this week but yet again we are still finding all kinds of miracles around every corner.

On Thursday we had a program with a family we have been teaching every week. This time we wanted to prepare a special, unforgettable lesson that the children would love. We started off singing “A Childs Prayer” from the childrens hymn book, which songs always bring a special spirit. We read out of the book, “Értékes Vagy”, the “You are Special”, one of my favorite childhood books my sweet mom would read to me. It represents how we are all Gods children, and how we are all perfect in His eyes, no matter what others think of us. It talks about how we can always communicate and He will always be there. It’s a special book. The kids loved it and after we brought rocks to make “prayer rocks” to put on their pillows so they will never forget to pray to their Heavenly Father.

We had a great program with one of our investigators that is slowly progressing. We followed up on her reading in 2 Nephi 31. It’s a beautiful chapter that talks about Christ being baptized and recieving the Holy Ghost. It goes into the Gospel of Jesus Christ perfectly. Once we got talking about it, we felt like she was ready to get a baptism date. We confidently asked and she sadly turned down our commitment, replying that she is a Christian and was already baptized as a child. We get this concern here a lot in Hungary. After explaining the difference she still wasn’t understanding, but I don’t think her heart was open as well. You learn as a missionary that people learn when they’re ready to learn, not when we’re ready to teach them.

You have a lot of hard days on the mission. A lot of people turning you down, investigators not doing what you asked them to do or even having to find for hours in the hot sun. When times get hard, God always sends you something so sweet and amazing in return. A little taste of heaven just to show that the whole time he was with you and never left you. How grateful I feel to experience the good and bad. I’m so grateful for my Savior, who suffered every pain, heartache or sadness we’ve ever felt. I’m so grateful for His infinite love and open arms in times when I most needed Him. I’m so grateful that through His sacrifice, I can live with my family forever and live in the presence of my Heavenly Father again. All mankind is saved through the redeeming power and mercy of the Savior.

I love you all and I want to thank you again for your prayers and support. Have a great week! Don’t forget to do something nice for someone and brighten up their day. Make the world a little better by small and simple things.

Sok szeretettel,

Whittaker Nővér

July 13, 2015

We had a wonderful week here in beautiful Szeged. This week it got up to 107 degrees, but nonetheless, we worked our hardest and found two families along the way. While we were out streeting this week, we get talking to this women who is interested in English. She was so excited and literally screamed at the top of her lungs once we said it was free. We were finally able to meet them and they are a miracle family. We taught about the Book of Mormon and how we have a living prophet on the earth today. They loved our message and committed to read the Book of Mormon and to find the truth.

On Tuesday, while sitting on a bench waiting for the bus to come, I feel something wet and heavy drop on my hand. I look down to see a big glob of bird poop on my hand and without much thought, I flung it all over Elder Martineaus new backpack. I guess there is a first time for everything.

We had a wonderful program with our investigator who is trying to find the truth. She told us that she had tried to pray to know if the Book of Mormon was true but had still not received an answer. We asked her if she had read the Book of Mormon. She hesitantly said, “no”. I know that if we truly want to want to receive answers to our questions, we need to read, ponder and pray. It is not an easy process and takes a whole lot of faith and trial. God will always answer us, when we humble ourselves and seek to find the truth. The door is always open.

Every Sunday we have been going to visit the most incredible family. They always have a delicious dinner prepared, we practice english and talk about religion. Yesterday we had the most amazing experience. We spoke of the restoration, and at the end bore our testimonies. I can’t explain the feelings I had, but I felt a rush of warmth all throughout my body that I have never felt before. I look over at the wife and she had tears in her eyes. I know she felt what I was feeling. The spirit is so real and can touch anyones heart. I love and adore that family! I know the Gospel is true.

Thank you all for your support and prayers. It’s because of all your prayers we are finding so many miracles. I love Hungary, I love the Gospel. And I am so grateful for my Savior. God is so good. I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Do something nice for someone, and make their day even better.

July 7, 2015

We got transfer calls this morning and I am happy to say that I am staying here in Beautiful Szeged with Sister Heath. We are so excited to continue the work and find even more miracles. Speaking of miracles, we met with a women named Timi who we have met for the third time. Once we got there, she showered us with 6 pieces of cake and listened to everything we had to say. I just love her! We taught about the Plan of Salvation and the spirit was so strong. She told us she will pray about it to know if it is true.

I don’t have much time this week but I want you all to know that I love you and I want to thank you for your support and prayers. I love being here on a mission and I love this Gospel.