An Awesome Week!

10-13-14

Man, Fall here is great!  The weather is perfect!  It's warm and we'll have a cool crisp breeze about in the 70s, which is super nice!  Especially for biking!  Elder Christensen is thinking that I might get transferred on the next transfer just like you are predicting.  It would really stink, but I would rather get transferred this next one instead of my last one!  Ya, Meet the Mormons was super good!  We saw it on Thursday morning with President Mella.  You'll definitely have to go see it!  A member was telling us it was in the top ten for the box office when it opened, so that was pretty cool!  I definitely think there will be some good that comes from it, as well!  I got the package and it was great!  I opened it and it was all candy and my comp just laughed because we're trying to work out and not eat too much junk food-haha.  So, maybe for future reference, send protein powder or money that I could start sending stuff home or to buy protein powder -haha.  But, the package was GREAT!!!!  I loved it!!!!!  I'm not sure if we can go to a 49ers game, but we'll see.  I really want to, though!  Man, I wish I could have been there to watch the great and glorious game of USU beating BYU-haha!  Dang, Landon had his farewell?  That's crazy, but good that he's heading out!!!  That's good that you were able to help that lady out in the ward!
This week was Awesome!  On Tuesday, we had Zone training meeting and that was pretty good.  Then, Wednesday, we went up to the temple and did a session-which was great.  We were up there most of the day.  We rode up with Bro. Makasini and it was good to see and talk to him and see how people are doing-so that was good!  Then, we ate at their house afterwards-you know how I love food!  On Thursday, we watched meet the Mormons with a couple of other zones and it was a super great movie and president had a screening version and had video of study groups that were mostly nonmembers saying that they would recommend it to friends and that they would be nicer to missionaries that come to their door.  On Saturday we had Scott's baptism and that went well.  There was only a couple of people that showed up, but it was sill good!  This week was awesome!  Hopefully, you have an awesome week, as well!  Hope all goes well!  Thanks for your support!

Love ya,
Ofa Atu
Elder Whaley

Look toward the temple

Elder at the temple

Elder Whaley and Elder Christensen

Elder Whaley

Elder Whaley, Scott, and Elder Christensen

Fixing a bike?

He's BACK!!!!!

10-6-14

So, as you know, it was transfers week this last week and Elder Moody didn't move too far.  He's still in the same Zone with Elder Racule.  My new companion is an awesome, super good missionary from Utah.  I think we'll get along just great!  His name is Elder Christensen!  Yup, you're right, the same one from Morgan Hill!!!!  It's pretty crazy!  It's kinda rare getting the same comp twice, especially with all the English missionaries that are here, so we were both surprised at transfer meeting on Tuesday.  We just laughed and basically said I can't believe this happened-what are the odds?  It's all good!  I'm curious what president has in store for me for my last 2 transfers after this.  At this point, it seems like anything could happen.  I'm sure I'll enjoy it!  Everything is on schedule for Scott's baptism for Saturday.  He just needs to be interviewed by the Zone leaders on Thursday and it will be set.  I think everything will work out fine!
Conference was great!  I noticed there were quite a few talks that were the same subject, but all in all it was really good!  I enjoyed it!  I can't wait to the get the Ensign and read and pick up on the things I may have missed and on new things!  We haven't watched "Meet the Mormons" yet.  We get to watch it this Thursday, so we'll see how it is.  I've seen a trailer and it looks pretty cool!  You asked about how often I pray.  I don't know how many times I pray a day.  I just know it varies day to day, but it's quite a bit.  I liked the parable of the hike that you shared.  It's so true and it's a good theory of the mission!  This week was pretty good.  We were able to watch Conference and meet with a couple of investigators, but we didn't hit our goal on lessons because of transfers and Conference.  We still worked hard and it felt like we visited tons of people this last week.  We still did pretty good considering it was transfer week and Conference.  We only missed our goal by a couple.  While contacting this week, we were actually able to teach some good lessons to people that were somewhat interested, so that was really cool.  Usually people just blow us off when we try talking to them, so hopefully, one of them becomes really interested and want to learn more!  Another good point of the week not related to missionary work is that I heard Utah State beat BYU!!!!!  WAHOOOOO!!!!!  I thought I would just throw that in there-haha!  Well, I hope you all have a great week!  Love ya!

Ofa Atu
Elder Whaley

Zone brunch between Conference sessions

I LOVE MY MISSION!!!!!!!

9-29-14

Things are going well.  Scott is progressing well.  He is still on track for the 11th of October!  The other investigators we'll just have to play be ear I guess.  :/  FHE was super fun!  My eye is fine...all good! It's p-day-it's all good!  (We received a picture and it looked like he had a black eye, but we don't know what happened).  I'm getting a new companion which is always exciting and nerve racking, but I'm exited to see what happens.  Hopefully, someone good-haha!  I don't want to really come home, but it has to happen some time!  I love everything about my mission-the people, the members, the area, the work, and the other missionaries.  Man, they just had an outgoing fireside for the missionaries leaving...and it stinks.  There are some missionaries I have gotten close with and it's weird and stinks to watch them go.  It's going to be weird not seeing them around!  :(  I'll still see some of them after the mission since some are going to BYUI and USU, so I look forward to seeing them again!  Thant's good that you were able to go to the General Women's Conference.  It sounds like it was really good!  I would love to read Elder Holland's talk that you were telling me about.  I'm super excited for General Conference!  It's always super good!  We also get to go to the temple next week-wahoo!!!!  I love going up to the Oakland temple!
   This week was not the best.  We only had about 11 lessons.  We had a lot of people not home or cancel on us!  Hopefully, all goes well this next week and we're able to blow it out of the water!  Since I know the area and will be taking over, I will probably change some things up this next week!  Hopefully, it works!  Other than that, the work is going well and I'm loving it!!!!!  Hopefully, you all have a great week!  Love ya!

OFA ATU
Elder Whaley