Last week with companion and baptism

9-16-13

The weather has been great!  It's warm with a nice crisp breeze from the bay.  It feels perfect and great! We have the fans going at night and the windows open, too!  The baptism was a great success!  It went super well!  One of her friends, that she invited, is interested so that was cool!  My companion is flying home Wednesday morning and it really stinks!  He's super awesome and I really enjoyed serving with him.  I wish he had another transfer at least-but oh well.  Hopefully, my next companion will be good.  There's still quite a bit of work to do here, which is awesome!  I did get reimbursed for the Red Lobster charge that someone made from my card, but not the other Body Builder.com. Oh well, the work must go on! (Someone got ahold of his debit card number and made several large charges-he didn't catch the Body Builder one in time and so he has to eat about $230-I really dislike dishonest people!!!!)  Dad-that's interesting that you mentioned the advice from Colton because I was just thinking about that this week! (Before Shad left-his cousin-in-law gave him the advice to remember that he is called to that particular mission because of his personality, and to have fun and "be a better you", and you will be fine). Things are going good here.  They want us to change to a carrier bag in place of a backpack in the next while, but my backpack works fine, so it's not going to happen unless they force me.  Haha.  We probably could go to a football game on Monday if there WAS one on Monday, but when is there ever a game on Monday?!  Today we are going to check on google to see.  Other than that, nothing too exciting has been going on.  I hope all is going well for you back home!  Love ya!

Elder Whaley

Elder Dalton (Shad's 6'7" companion from Arizona)
at the baptism

Elder Dalton, Bro. Makasini (Carla's Father-in-law)
Carla Makasini, and Elder Whaley
at the baptism of Carla Makasini

Carla Makasini and her family

Elder Dalton and Elder Whaley (Shad looks short
compared to his companion)

Getting ready for first baptism!

9-9-13

Well, Carla is super solid and we have everything set up for the 14th.  It's exciting!  It sounds like you've had a good and crazy week.  Dad was telling me about Pres. Crapo's comments at Stake Conference.  That's pretty cool and it's so true.  This week was pretty normal I guess...just teaching people lessons and finishing up teaching Carla last night.  We were at her in-laws (who are Tongan) and had tons of food!  I was super full!  It was super good!  It got pretty hot on Saturday and we were on bikes not having a lot of luck, but it's just one of those days.  Life moves on.  Nothing new or exciting really, but hopefully you guys have a great week and things go well for ya.  Love ya.

Elder Whaley

Best Moment So Far!

9-2-13

This week was super good.  We had gotten a new investigator who committed to a baptismal date for the 21st of September so far and another for the 14th of September.  She was the one that got moved back because of the funeral.  The one on the 21st, Carla Makasini, is a non-member married to a member who has just gotten his Melchizedek  priesthood and his patriarchal blessing this week.  I think that really helped, but the main reason she is taking the lessons is because her sister-in-law just passed away and she saw that members of the church had comfort about it that she wanted and she wants to live with her family forever, also.  So it's pretty cool and she has been talking to a friend who may be interested also!  She is swaying between the 14th and 21st to get family members and ward members there, but she is excited to be baptized and she is awesome!  The first lesson/discussion with her was super spiritual.  It was amazing!  We invited her to be baptized and she said YES!  Oh man-that was probably the BEST moment so far!  It was just an overwhelming sense of joy when she said yes.  I had never felt like that before.  The next day, during personal study, I read in D & C 58 about how great will your joy be if you bring one soul unto me and that was really cool!  We met with a lot of non-members this last week, so it was really good!  Things are going well here.

Ahhh-man everyone keeps talking about the new temple video, but I have to wait until General Conference!  The Tongan families keep feeding me or keep trying if I say I am full.  I haven't gained or lost-I think biking is helping me maintain my weight plus I have been trying to lift every morning.  Oh man-football season has started!  It really STINKS!  Everyone talks about it and yesterday we got offered tickets to go to a Stanford game for this week!  There is also a high school football field next to the road we take a lot and they had a game Friday night!  Man I miss football!  Oh well!

 Hopefully, all is going well at home!

Love ya!
Elder Whaley