August 21, 2011

Hello Family!!!
Wow it’s great to hear from you guys!! Sounds like you had a legit time as usual at the fair, I really miss that. This week has been another in the work. Pretty good. We confirmed Arturo and were supposed to have a baptism of Carolina (she is the girl in the red with Elder Puentes). She didn't get baptized because her mom couldn't come. The family are Mariachis and they got called last night and had to work all day, but next week she will get baptized. We have 2 other baptisms this week planned; the same girl I told you about last week and also a daughter of a recent convert named Brisas, she is 15. She came to church yesterday with her dad and I asked her if she wanted to get baptized and she said yes! Just like that. Danny is her dad. He owns a car paint shop and usually buys us drinks if we go over there. We did some service with him this week, we washed the inside of a brand new Honda accord. I wanted to drive it so bad. That is a really quick resume of what we have been doing this week.
I will do the best to explain how we baptized Chema, the man without any legs. It wasn’t that complicated, we had a few ideas about how we could do it but what ended up happening was we put him in a chair and carried him down into the font. I was the one who said the prayer and our ward mission leader was in the water with us. He had his hands normal with mine in front of him so he could plug his nose, and when I finished with the prayer I put my hand on his lower back. The other guy who was facing me then basically picked him up off the chair (his arm was a little below mine and the other was a little above) we moved forward (away from the chair) and then went under the water by bending our knees and leaning forward. It wasn't easy because we were battling with space also, the font isn’t that big. Then we put him on the chair again and carried him out.
I am sending you some pictures. The guy without the tooth is our district leader, Elder Morby. He was eating and his tooth just cracked so they shaved it down and made an ugly mold to go over it poor guy. One is when Elder Puentes tried to steal a pizza delivery bike (these guys that deliver pizza are crazy here, weaving in and out of cars and going at red lights and everything (I've seen some try to wheelie but they are pretty sad). The blurry one with the people in the costumes is of the matachines (I think that’s what they are called). They dance for the virgin & they were practicing. Every part of the city has a group. There is a big festival and they all go dance.
Well, that’s all for this week. Good luck with school starting, that’s pretty crazy. Glad I don't have to do that for a while.
Love,
Elder Waite

August 15, 2011 -- email

Hello Hello!!
How is everybody doing??? Thanks for all the birthday wishes everybody!! Birthdays are weird. It’s so strange to think that I am not a teenager anymore, I still feel like one. I am really sorry that I haven't written very much lately. We've been busy, playing hard and working harder. Last week we had a zone activity and went to Americas Incredible Pizza, it was a riot. It is all you can eat food, and two hours of playing arcade games for 200 pesos. I didn't think I would like it that much because I've never been much of a fan of arcade games but being with everybody made it fun, there was also mini golf, laser tag and go karts. There was a lot to do. This week we played soccer and because it was my birthday, the people in my district stayed and ate pizza.
Alright, enough with the stuff we do for P days... I have some legit news for y'all: I got a new comp!!! I'm now senior companion.. My comps name is Elder Puentes, he is really cool and a great missionary. He is from Utah, but his parents are from Uruguay and Peru. This has been the best two weeks of my mission so far. I have never felt satisfied or content like I do now, and the Lord is blessing us with our efforts. This week we had a baptism, his name is Arturo, we were just walking down the street and he talked to us. This is the first person of gold that I have had I'm my mission, he was ready. I would have loved to baptize him because any time the missionaries have seen him I have been there but we decided to give the chance to the guy that was baptized the first week I was in this area, Pablo. Pablo is a little guy and Arturo is a big guy, but he got it done. The first lesson with Arturo, he told us that he works on Sundays, so for the next 15 minutes we read about how the Lord blesses us if we keep the Sabbath day holy and all that jazz, and then invited him to do it. I don't think we needed to waste our breath because he accepted to go to church. It was the same way when we invited him to be baptized, and he said to us later that the reason is because he has seen missionaries a lot and has always thought that if we are giving up our time to invite people to change then it must be worth it to make the change. He is legit, he doesn't have work but he sells books in a Mercado by his house on Sundays. We promised him blessings for going to church and getting baptized, and last Friday Pablo called us to tell us he found a job for Arturo. To be a part of this change in the life of Arturo has been amazing. I have seen the hand of God acting in behalf of another one of his kids. The picture is of Arturo when he got baptized. His son is there, and also Pablo the guy that we baptized the first week I was here. Arturo is the bigger one.
We have found another couple of miracles; Carolina – 8 yrs old, and Frida – 9 yrs old. They live in different parts of town but their story is a lot alike. We were knocking doors and found them. Both of them have family in the church that are less active, and they both have always said that when they turn 8 they were going to get baptized. Carolina should get baptized this Sunday and Frida during the next week. Frida's whole family are members, they just have to work on Sundays so they inactivated themselves. They have been thinking about going back to church and having Frida get baptized, all it took was for us to be there.
Don't worry about us in Monterrey, the heat doesn't seem so bad, I was expecting it to be hotter. Everybody talks about this time of year as being a killer, I was thinking 115 degrees and stuff like that but I don’t think its broke 110 yet. My poor comp is dying, he just came from the offices as materials secretary with AC, and they didn't leave to work til 5 in the afternoon.
Sorry I can’t send pictures right now, something isn't working with the computer that I am at. I hope to send you more next week. I'm getting excited to open my presents tonight. I opened a deodorant already. Thank you so much, my comp probably thanks you more. Sounds like you are all having a ton of fun with the fair and everything, I will miss that. ood luck, and I expect to see some pictures. I love you guys.
Love,
Elder Waite

August 8, 2011 - email

Family!!
I sure love you all. The pictures will have to speak for me this week. I'll write more next week. Have fun for me on the hike, you are probably up there right now.
Love,
Elder Waite

July 25, 2011 - email

Hello Family!!
Well I don't have a lot of time, not that I ever do, but especially not today. I hope you guys are all well, and I hope you aren't all too busy!! Sounds like it, but it also sounds like you are having a lot of fun also. This week has been a good one, with one baptism. It was pretty cool. In the Zone we had what they call Noche Blanca. Its where all the baptisms in the Zone go to one place and are all baptized at the same time. The guy we baptized is called Jose Angel, or Chema; he only has one tooth. He is Martha’s Brother and he doesn't have legs but he's cool. He called me all sorts of weird names because he can’t say Waite, not very many people can. Most people can’t say the 't' at the end and without it is a swear word and also a word that is sort of like 'dude' or something like that. Did you have the same problem Dad?
Sorry no pictures this week, I forgot the camera. I hope you are all doing swell. Just thinking about you makes me want to do things so well so that you will be proud.
Love,
Elder Waite

July 19, 2011 -email

HI FAMILY!!

Well Saturday I got my birthday package!!! And the debit card was still in there. Thanks for that present Sadie, that the card was disguised in. It was a really good week, and today should be a really good day also. We don't have anything planned so I hope maybe I might get a nap in. Saturday we had the annual house checks, we got to see Hermana Romney. She was the one who brought me the package. Thanks so much for the raisins. I didn't realize how much I miss them. The coolest thing I have seen so far is the Jesus the Christ book. I look at all the names in there all the time and just think how cool it is that that book has been all over the world and has been with people doing the same thing the whole time. Thanks for sending that.

I'm going to tell you a spiritual experience that happened in our district leader’s area. I was on divisions with his companion. We went to an appointment where the day before they had showed them the Joseph Smith movie. We went, started talking to them about the movie, answered questions about it, and they started to ask about the Book of Mormon. I love it when people ask us about the things that we teach about, especially about the BOM. We decided to read 2 Nephi 32 about the Holy Ghost. It was really cool, as soon as we started reading the kids who were rowdy and screaming calmed right down, and one of them fell asleep. It was sort of funny, but neat at the same time. I think they were feeling the Spirit. I know the Mom and her daughter that was still awake felt something. They accepted the invitation to be baptized and to go to church and to read and pray. It is amazing what the spirit can motivate people to do.

Not much else to say this week... my arm hurts because I just played foosball with my companion for about 45 minutes. I hope you are all doing good and keeping your testimonies strong by action. Good luck with all you are doing.

Love,

Elder Waite

July 13, 2011 -email

Hello KC7ZKV, KD7NFU, KD7ODQ, KD7HNH, Maren, Ainsley, Hallie, Sadie and Janie!

 How is everyone doing? I hope you aren't too sad that you weren't able to go on the hike this week. It’s starting to heat up in Monterrey.... again. Yesterday it was about 107, today seems just as bad but we haven't been walking around very much. We just got back from playing soccer, the zone here is pretty united and we have lots of activities like that. It’s a good thing there are more gringos than just me, because if not the Mexicans would hate me because I'm so bad. I thought I was getting good, or at least better, but today I struggled.

You have probably assumed this but we went to the temple today, it was really cool. I was the last one to go into the Celestial Room and was accompanied by two elders and a sister for about 5 minutes and then I was all alone. I stayed in there for a long time all alone. It was an experience that I don't ever want to forget. I received a confirmation again that this is the place I should be right now, doing the things that we do. As the spirit always does, I was encouraged to try and give a little more and be more like the Savior, especially when things are the hardest.

 Well I have some good news. I woke up speaking Spanish this morning. I had a pretty rough dream; I don't remember what it was about but I remember being startled and a little on edge so I just decided to get up. It was around 5 and we had to leave a little early to get to the temple. The cool thing was that when I got to my senses, I said to myself how nervous I was and everything all in Spanish, maybe even my dream was in Spanish, who knows. It was neat, but I still have a long way to go, there are still lots of things I don't understand and things I can't say right. That is one thing that I'm grateful for my companion for. I have been able to improve on my language skills just speaking with him.

 Sunday I gave a talk. 17 minutes strong. It was about covenants. I took some thoughts from the conference talk 'Followers of Christ' if you want to read it, and the scripture Moroni 10:33 I think. I'm not sure on the scriptures, I left my notes and everything at home, next week I'll send them...

 To answer the questions, no I do not have the package yet, it has not gotten to the offices so far. I don't remember if there were any other questions. How is Mariah doing? Haven't heard from her for a while. I hate to be a pest but I've been thinking about the radios lately and just want to make sure, or at least know what is going on with my license. I hope I will be able to renew it.

 I love you all, hope you keep on doing the things that lead to happiness.

 Love,

Elder KD7ODR

July 4, 2011 -email

Hello Family!!

Just a quick note today, things are going good here in Monterrey. Today I had a chance to go to a different part of the city... the rich part... an hermano took us to a buffet and then we went for a drive. It was a riot. When I say rich I mean really rich, so rich that there aren’t even missionaries there. I am just going to tell you guys a quick spiritual thought.

 On Saturday we were in a lesson with a little kid and his family that are members. We were talking about baptism and I started to bear my testimony about how baptism is a covenant and how if we are faithful to our covenants and always do the things that God asks us, then he will never leave us alone, I testify about that every day, but this time it was different. In my mind I was thinking about all the times that I have seen the hand of God in my life and how these things really are true. I know I was feeling the spirit, and I was feeling my testimony grow in just those few minutes. It was a very special part of my week and probably one of the most spiritual experiences that I have had on the mission. I hope it can help you out in your lives somehow.

 Love,

Elder Waite