Sunday, February 16, 2014

Visit from Elder Cook

2-10-14

I got the year "Hump Day" package!  It was great!  The shirt fit well!  I was not expecting that!  Thank you!  I forgot to look what size of white shirt I wear-oops-sorry!  I got a couple of shirts from President on Saturday because we had a mission wide conference and Elder Cook came and talked to us!  It was really good!!!!  He left an apostolic blessing on us and the mission!  It was Legit!!!!  Then, after Elder Cook left, President had us stay there and turned it into one big Zone Conference, so it was good!  I got to see Elder Jones and Elder Porter along with most of the other missionaries in my last Zone.  The Tongan sisters gave me a Lava Lava!  Wahoo!!!!  Nothing new or exciting this week.  The work here is pretty slow and we're trying to find people to teach.  But, it's a good area.  It sounds like you had a good week this week and hopefully, it goes well this week for you, too!  Love ya!

Elder Whaley

One Year Mark!!!

2-3-14

Ahhhhh noooo, it can't already be a year!!!!!  It's going by too fast!  It needs to slow down!  I have learned lots!  So much, I don't want to put it down-it will take too long!  haha.  Mama Smith is such a funny lady.  Ya, you will probably be hearing from her quite a bit, I'm guessing.  We helped her with a couple of things around the house and she told me how you told her that you were thinking I'd be sad to not be able to watch the Super Bowl!  I'm fine with it!  The good thing is, the Seahawks pulled it off!  Someone told us the score and that was awesome!  Yeah Seahawks!  I enjoyed the birthday package-thank you sooo much!  I used the decorations to make a mess of other missionaries cars-haha-so it was great!!  Things are going good here.  The work is slow so we are trying to find new people to teach and that's always a little rough.  I haven't taken any pics since I've been here, though, so I don't have any for you.  We have an Elder that we live with that is testing my patience.  I think I might have to resort to pulling the scene from The Best 2 Years on him where they hog tie him-haha. It would be funny.  Man, how I noticed how much I hate being told what to do!!!!!!  He is one of those elders that is so strict that he makes up meanings to rules or makes up his own rules!  He constantly tells us what to do and he just likes listening to himself talk and he's one of those that are like look at me, I'm more obedient than you, you're doing this wrong, you can't do that.  I guess I just need to stop praying to gain more patience because now it's getting tested!  I'll have to look to see what size of shirt I wear.  President banned playing with fire and we are not supposed to burn shirts for our year mark, but one of my shirts is already ripped from the washer, so it's going to get burnt anyways!  Hahah!  We'll see!  Hopefully, all goes well for you this week!  Love ya!

Elder Whaley

Someone give Elder Whaley a haircut!!!!
Hump Daaaaay!

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Adjusting to New Area

1-27-14

It's going well in my new area.  Morgan Hill is more spread out and more country, so that's nice and I enjoy not being in the compact city.  Most of the people that live here are retired and rich, so the work is a lot slower than Redwood City and....THERE'S NO POLYS!!!!!!!!....which stinks!!!!!!!  Man, I'm kinda homesick for Redwood City!!!  It's all white older people and a lot of interesting people.  So you talked to Momma Smith huh?  Yes, she is quite the character, but she is AWESOME!!!!  She made me a football blanket along with a football cooking apron and football bag and stove grabbers-so it was pretty cool.  (A sister in Shad's mission, Momma Smith, called us on Saturday, Jan. 25th, and was so complimentary about Shad and thanked us for sharing him with them.  She really loves the missionaries and makes them all blankets and takes good care of them.)  Supposedly, there is a less active in our ward who is the 2nd most decorated WW2 vet and they made a movie of him called, "The Frog Man."  I'm not sure I quite believe him and he was telling us he doesn't have to pay taxes because it is illegal and he won in court on that.  He also said that his son that lives with him, doesn't have to register his car of have a license because of the freedom to travel law or something like that.  He supposedly challenged it in court and won.  There are definitely some interesting people that I've met here so far.  For the most part, I like it here.  We are living with 2 other Elders, as well, and I think it will be fine.  I can't believe that Vanessa crashed the car.  I knew that was going to happen sooner or later....oh man.  That's the only thing she told me.  She said she crashed and went on a date with J.  At least they're alright. You asked if there's anything I need.....I need some more shirts. The washer ripped up one today and my other ones are turning gray-haha.  I also finally have a WALMART!!!  No more Target-yeah!!!!!  Well, we'll see how things go this transfer!  Hopefully, all goes well for you this week.  Love ya!

Elder Whaley




Birthday and Transfer

1-21-14

Well, I did get transferred and I don't have a lot of time right now since we need to be working, but the library was closed yesterday since it was a holiday.  I got transferred to Morgan Hill.  It seems like a pretty nice area, but all I have done is drive to the apartment and unpacked.  I have heard good things about this area, so I'm excited, but the other half of me is broken since I had to leave Redwood City, which stinks.  I guess this is where the Lord needs me and I asked my companion, Elder Christensen, if there are any Polys and he said maybe like one or two.....NOOOOOOO!  Dang it!  What I have seen so far is that it's less crowded and everything is more spread out-that's awesome!  Elder Porter, my MTC companion, took my spot with Elder Jones!  That lucky son of a gun!!!!  Man this Stinks!   But it's exciting at the same time!!!   Ahhhhhh, stupid feelings!!!!!! I was so mad when they called me on Saturday night...... worst birthday present ever!  haha.  There was a lot of people getting transferred in our zone and it really stunk!  Sunday night we had a Zone testimony meeting and that was amazing to hear -especially the people that were leaving, but it stunk at the same time.  It felt like my heart was ready to pop or explode saying good bye to these awesome missionaries along with feeling the Spirit so strongly!!!!!  MAN, why did I have to get transferred???????  Hopefully, I enjoy my next area as well here in Morgan Hill!  Sitting in Sacrament on Sunday was good, but it stunk because I knew I wouldn't be able to see the members that I have grown to know and love next week.  It was a super weird sad feeling!!!!!  Saturday was good!  We played slaughter ball at the Stake Center early in the morning with most of the missionaries in the Zone!  Then, we went and did service for a couple of hours.  After that, we went to a place called Stacks and got Oreo pancakes that some people told us about!  They were really good!  Later that night, we went to Applebee's with Tiki Makasisni and his family and they didn't even know it was my birthday until the end of dinner.  They were mad at me, but it was fun!  On Friday, the other Makasini's caught me off guard at dinner.  They totally acted like they usually do and played it really well until they came in with a cake and candles.  I was definitely not expecting that!  It was pretty cool!  Thanks for contacting them!  Yes, Semisi finally got baptized.  I was able to baptize him.  It was an awesome experience!!!! It was great!  After 6 months of working with him!  But other than all of the transfer stuff, I had a lot of fun and worked hard this last week!  Man, I'm going to miss that area!!!!  Yesterday was really fun.  We woke up early and went hiking again up in the Los Altos Hills and might have possibly gotten poison oak or ivy.  :/  Then, we got the Zone together and had a bbq at a park and played football and ultimate Frisbee!  It was lots of fun.  Then we went to the Stake Center after that and played slaughter ball for awhile, then shot hoops and I was able to dunk it a couple of times-it was awesome!  Hopefully, you guys have a great week this week and all goes well.  Love ya and I LOVE this work!!!!!!

ofa atu
Elder Whaley
"Horah for Israel"

Elder Whaley, Semisi, and Elder Jones at
Semisi's baptism

Shad's birthday $ from the birthday box.

Birthday cake made by the Makasini's.