Friday, November 9, 2012

Elder Matthew Whittle-- November 8, 2012

Como Estan?
Man it was a pretty crazy transfer. President Cook made two more zebra companionships. That's when he puts a Spanish Elder with and English one. He's been doing that with the Zone Leader companionships because we can get referrals for the Spanish elders while we're out proseliting. I stayed here in Vista and now have my new companion. His name is Elder Goble. He's great! He's from American Fork. He used to skate a lot and he plays guitar, so for the Christmas party we're going to play something together on guitar.
It's been a super crazy week. We have only been able to have studies once since last Tuesday. We've have Stake Meetings all week long in the mornings, and trainings to give to the ward mission leaders. It's been pretty hectic, but good. This week we're doing another 3 hour training to the Zone. We had zone leader council last weekend, and President Cook talked to us about the change in the amount of missionaries we were going to have. We are at 171 missionaries right now, and our compliment, or how much we have room for is 178, but by May we will be at 250 so we had to figure out what areas we could split up and put another companionship in.
We all came to the ZLC with all the areas in our zone that we thought could be split. When each zone had written the areas up on the board it added up to exactly 80 new missionaries. It was pretty inspired. This whole change is going to be really neat to see.
Things have been going well with the work here in Vista. We're teaching a lot of people, and many of them are preparing for baptism. Elder Goble is a super funny guy, and we get along really well. Elder Rupp ended up going to Encinitas. He gets to train for the last transfer and a half of his mission. That's such a great way to be able to end.
Tell Grandpa I said happy birthday and that I love him and miss him. I love just sitting down and talking with him. He has such a strong testimony of the Gospel, and such amazing stories to tell. I always feel good when I'm around him and Grandma. Next Tuesday we're going to the temple so you'll have to let Nona know:) I can't wait to see her. It's been a while since I saw her there.
As far as the gift cards go. Sometimes there's not a Wendy's, Subway, or whatever in my area so I think just money would be better. Thanks so much. How much do I have in my account right now?
I just finished the Book of Mormon again and as I was reading the last chapter of Moroni I could feel the Spirit very strong testifying to me once again that the Book of Mormon is true. We had an interesting thing happen last weekend. We were walking into the post office, and we began to talk to a lady that had just gotten out of her car and was walking in as well. Well I told her that we were from Utah, but we love the weather down here in California. She told us that she wanted to go to Salt Lake and see the temple. So I asked her if she was a member. She said no, but that she had been a member of the Jehova's Witness for years, but then found out that there were some things that weren't true about it so she stopped going. She then said that she had walked into a store a couple years ago and the owner was a mormon and he had a book of mormon out on the counter. So she asked him about it, and he gave her one. She read a little in it, and liked it. She said that she knows that there's a lot of false things out there, like people thinking that we're a cult, or satanic, just like there's stuff about the Jehova's Witness. So we told her there was going to be a baptismal service on saturday at the bobier building and if she wanted to come. She said she would, and then we showed her where Christ visited the americas. She really wanted to read about that. So she came to the baptismal service and liked it. Then the sister missionaries gave her a church tour while we went to a meeting with the stake president. There was also a halloween play going on in the cultural hall that she decided to go watch. So we called her the next morning, Sunday, to see how she like the tour and the play. She said that she was apalled because there was a witch in the play that was flying through the air, and then walking around after, and said that we can't have witchcraft in the church. She then said that she went on line and did some research about mormons. She said that she found out that the word mormon comes from a satanic word, and that there are satanic symbols on the temple, and all this nonsense. So then I asked her where she got her information. She said, "well I googled it." I couldn't help but laugh. haha. I told her that she was getting all false information and that she needs to make sure she gets information from the right source. She asked me if I new what the symbols on the temple were. I told her that I've been through the temple, and know a lot more than what she thinks I know. I told her that she hasn't researched the Church until she's read every page in the Book of Mormon and prayed about it. Then she went on about how Joseph Smith was a free mason and how they were a satanic organization that doesn't believe in Christ. I told her that she was wrong there as well. I told her that we just interviewed someone who is a free mason for baptism. She then said did you ask him if he believed that Christ was his savior and reedemer. I said yep, and he believes that 100 percent. Then she said did you ask him if he prays to the father in the name of Christ. I said ya he actually offered the prayer just like that in the interview, and says he prays every day to heavenly father. Finally she just came back to the whole thing about a witch in the church. It was pretty ridiculous haha. I just had to laugh. It was like a 30 minute conversation on the phone haha. It's funny how people think anything you get online is true.
Well Love you all. The Gospel is true so Keep sharing it with others, and praying for those opportunities.
Con amor,
Elder Witle!
P.S. Sorry that was so long haha.

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