Anthony - September 24, 2014

Well this week was pretty freaking awesome. Chile had its independence day and that was awesome. It was alot like Thanksgiving, except with more dancing games and different types of meat. the meat was super good. Then it was transfers, or in my case, I left the compound for good. I showed up in sur (south)  and all the greenies (new missionaries) went through this process to make sure that we have every thing we need. Then after that was a long meeting where all the people get moved around and the trainers are shown. After that, there was another meeting where I got to meet my new comp, I was one of the last, His name is Elder Turely, he is around 6´ and super awesome, we got to the apartment I unloaded all my stuff and went out tracting, we eventually found someone who would at least talk to us. We got a time to come back. After that we went and met with the bishop. he is super cool. well that was my week, nothing big, nothing exciting. Love you all and hope the best.

Love, Elder Whetten

Anthony - September 23

Anthony arrived at his mission - Santiago South

Letter from Anthony's Mission President

Dear Brother and Sister Whetten:
We are happy to send the exciting news that after weeks of preparation in the Santiago MTC, Elder Whetten has arrived safely with his group of fellow missionaries to the Chile Santiago South Mission. They were transported from the MTC to the Mission Office where they participated in a New Missionary Orientation with President Cook and Sister Cook, the Assistants to the President and the Office Staff. After enjoying lunch with us, they were introduced to their trainers and transported their assigned areas.

Your son has been assigned as a junior companion to Elder Turley, from, Holbrook, Arizona. Elder Turley is an exceptional missionary, selected by President Cook to guide your missionary through the critical training period of his mission. They are assigned to labor in the Capitán Ávalos.

You can expect to hear from Elder Whetten by email every preparation day which is each Wednesday. We trust that you will also write to Elder Whetten on a weekly basis. Your positive messages of support and love will be a great source of strength and encouragement while he serves. To send a letter or a package, please use the following address:
Elder Whetten
Chile Santiago South Mission
Apartado Postal No. 544
San Bernardo, Chile

We thank you for all that you have done to help prepare Elder Whetten to faithfully serve a full time mission. We know that your family will be blessed for his sacrifice and commitment to serve the Lord.

Thank you for entrusting your missionary to the Lord and to us. We look forward to getting to know him well over the next two years as we labor together. We want you to know that we will love and watch over him while he is in our care. Please feel free to communicate with us at any time throughout your missionary’s service, with any concerns that you may have.
Sincerely,

President David L. Cook

Sister Kathleen Cook

Diana - September 23, 2104

Hello Everyone!! 

 Well I am no longer in down town they took the Sisters out for the winter because it just gets to scary and to dark for sisters during the rainy season. I am now in Normandy Park with my Hong kong companion again sister leung. She is so great I am so excited to serve with her again.

  The weather is starting to get cold again and that means the rain. I am bitter sweet about it because I love the fall its my favorite time of the year but I don't like being wet all the time. oh well God know best and He is the one who sent me here. 

 Being in down Town Seattle was really hard not the hardest thing I have ever had to do but it was difficult but I am so grateful for the time I had to be there. I learned a lot about how important it is to focus on the good things in life, because there will always be sadness and heart break but I get to decide weather I want to be happy or sad. I am not the most happiest person its actually really hard for me to see the bright side of things. but i know my life is so much better when i want to be happy. 

 I love being a missionary so much. It is not the easiest thing i have ever done in my life and I hope the rest of my life is better. but i will never regret my mission. I have finally come to understand that God does not expect me to be perfect or a robot but he wants me to be me and he knows that i will mess up that's is why He sent his son. I am so happy for everything that I have because my mom and dad decided to adopt us and I will for ever be in there depth!! I love this church and I love the Book of Mormon and I am so thankful for temples!! I love you all so much and i hope that you are being happy!   

Pictures from Argentina

 (This picture makes me laugh considering how afraid of spiders Jesse is)

 jacob bierman and i are having a handstand competition, heres mine for the week.

Jesse - September 22

this week was a little different than the rest. we were able to go out and work monday through Wednesday, and we actually had a lot of success! we met some old investigators and were able to share some lessons with them. and as a mission we are still doing what they call el plan piloto. and it is basically focusing on bringing back the lost sheep, strengthening the weak, and making sure the strong are involved and know whats going on. it has really strengthened and helped in the area that im in still(la Cumbre) and the members have been such a great help to us and have really made it easier on us...and then came Wednesday:P my companion woke up wit strep throat and we didnt end p leaving the apartment for three days, i really have good luck with companions and medical issues:P but the good thing is that it gave me a lot of time to study and to look for some personal answers that ive been thinking of. but then by day three i ended up thinking a lot about the past and all the crazy things that have happened in my life to get me to where i am now in this moment. ive thought about home a lot of times before on the mission, i would be lying if i said i hadnt. but this time was really good for me. now more than ever i realize that nobody is perfect. everyone goes through challenges, struggles problems and hard times, that's just how life goes. but i looked passed the problems this time and looked at the lords hand that was always there. all the stupid things ive done, all the mistakes, the childish, earthly things that ive done made me a better person, but only because He helped me through it all and its not very hard to see now. I continue to make mistakes, i dont think that will every change. but i love this work and this time that i have to share the gospel with every person that i can. i dont get another chance i realize that, but i will make the most of it. my companion is better now just to let you all know. and im doing great! ohh yeah! and a "snake" touched me in the bus yesterday! snake is basically a girl that likes to hit on the missionaries. and then when she got off the bus she continued to yell things haha probably one of the weirdest things that has happened in a while:P but hey i love you all and hope you enjoy the pics there arent many but whatever!!

Elder Whetten