December 20, 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

I have bad news...I got transferred! So now I have no idea when I´ll be calling or from where I´ll be calling. All I know is expect a call sometime on Christmas. Ok, I just found out that we are going to get 30 min to email during the week to tell you about the phone call situation, so keep posted. But I'm still with Hermana Buckner so that is a good thing we have going for us... haha:) We are both new (obviously) and we get to open a new sector again. It is a lot nicer than our old sector as far as the houses and stuff go. Our apt is like 100 times nicer and bigger so that is exciting but we have no idea where anything is as. We spent the whole morning trying to find a ride here because we had no idea where our apt was at and 2 of us taking 5 HUGE suitcases on the metro was not going to work out. We finally got a recent convert´s Uncle to help us out. It was a funny ride...there were 8 of us in a tiny blazer thing (I´ll attach a photo) but it was a hot ride. And now we are here and just found internet, so life is good!

It was hard to leave Villa Primavera because we just started to get to know the people and a miracle happened last week, on Mon after p day we went to do a FHE with a family and the parents had forgotten and left so we decided to give lesson 1 because the daughters boyfriend isn´t a member but has been going to church and seminary for a year but never felt ready to get baptized. So we taught him-the sprit was so strong and we invited him to be baptized the 26th and HE ACCEPTED! He said he had been thinking about it and was thinking the 26th but hadn´t told anyone. It was really cool! He is so great, really timid, but has a strong testimony. And now I won´t be able to see him get baptized but I´m still excited for him.

Ya, this week I can´t think of much (I didn´t write it down during the week so I now I will probably be rambling again) Oh, we were supposed to go caroling at a mall as a zone but that got canceled so we went caroling to peoples houses in the ward. It was really fun and we got 2 people to cry because the spirit was so strong. I think we should try that here in our new sector to try to get to know people this week. So we will see what happens.

My new sector is called Los Mares, its in San Pablo. And that has just about as much significance to you as it does to me... haha:) I really have no idea where I'm at. All I know is its the last metro stop on the green line ...haha:) and I just came from the second to last metro stop on the yellow line (complete opposites) So ya...just really far away. I know it takes about 50 min on metro to get from where I was to here but its a little closer to central Santiago, probably about 25 min. But I´ll try to keep you updated.

This week we went to the temple. It was really cool! It was hard to stay awake because you are always so stinkin' tired as a missionary but it was really good. I was glad I went alot before my mission so I could kinda catch what they were saying from what I already knew they would be saying. You don´t move at all but it´s really pretty. The last part was hard to do in spanish, haha I just tried to mimic what the lady was saying even though I had no idea what it was... haha:) We also had a training with Pres. May on Thurs, which was pretty good. So I feel like we have been running like crazy because we also put on a ward Christmas party as Missionaries. It turned out really good. At first I was nervous no one was going to come but we ended up having about 30 people there. It was fun. We watched "Joy to the World" about Christ´s birth and then had them build Santa Clauses house with spagetti and marshmellows (who ever got it the biggest won) and then we gave them bags of random things and had them do a skit. They all really liked it because they had never done any of those activities before so it was really good. And then we had cheese empenadas which were sooo good and Hermana Buckner and I had made sugar cookies, which they had also never tired, and they loved them. So all in all it was really good. We didn´t teach our piano class this week because we had clean checks for our apt and we couldn´t find keys to the church so we didn´t do them.

AnnMarie- CONGRATS! You are offically graduated. Wow I bet it feels good, although now you have all sorts of responsibilities with your 8-5... haha:) but at least you have a job right.

Are you all excited for Christmas? When are you all getting together and how long are you all going to be together? We walk around singing Christmas songs all the time and at the Christmas primary activity they had us as Missionaries sing Christmas songs in English. I think their favorite was "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer" with the repeat (reindeer, like a light bulb, ect) because once again I acted like a dork and did crazy actions with it but whatever it takes to make the kids laugh right... haha:)

For the call on Sat- I will call you using my card and we can just talk from there or if you want you can call me back if you want to do it different. You all decide and let me know what is best. We will figure out how to call if its the last thing we do... haha:) We didn´t have much room to bring stuff to our new apt but I fit my little tree in my purse and so we at least have that and my package... so we can have something to do for Christmas. But in my heart I'm really there in the freezing cold with all yall :)

I cant think of what else has gone on this week. I got an email saying that the 2nd part of my letter didn´t go through last week so I have no idea what I said and what I didn´t say and what got sent and what didn´t but I hope you are all doing good and excited for Christmas! I'm so excited to talk to you all. I only have 40 min so Its going to go by super fast but I'm excited anyways! Tell everyone there MERRY CHRISTMAS for me! I love you all and will be talking to most of you soon.

And now for some pictures:

This is me at the temple on Tuesday

Me defrosting our freezer with 2 blow dryers (it was so bad you couldn´t fit anything in there because there was so much ice and water was running all over because there was so much it didn´t know where to go)

The winning team of the Santa Clause house at our ward party

This was our ride to our new area today. It was stuffed full! Imagine 8 people in there and all of that stuff plus more. I don´t know how we did it... haha:)

My disgusting tan line. It is super bad and its funny to because my ankles are the dark color but then as you get up to my calves its so stinkin white (but at least there isn´t a line there, its just gradual)

This has been a week in the life of Hermana Whyte...

I sent a letter to Mom and Dads. I don´t know when it will get there but hopefully in time for Christmas. I was going to send a picture with it but its so hard to find a place to print pics and when you do there is always a line for about 3 hours so its never worth it. Oh ya, and weeks ago I sent a post card to Mom and Dads. Did you ever get it?

Let me know whats going on there and all the stuff that goes on this Christmas. It´s hard to believe its here already. Hopefully this next year flies by :)  Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and I´m so excited to talk to you!

TE AMO TE AMO TE AMO MUCHO!!!!

Love always!

Steph