Embrace Seminary!

Hello everyone!

This week was kinda dead lesson wise! Nobody was home! ugh. Anyway, the lessons that we did have were still awesome and our investigator, James, wants to be baptized! He has some struggles that we are working out with him but he’s excited about his decision! And I am, too! 

I’m sorry I don’t have much time this week, again! Missionary life is crazy! One thing I learned this week is that I wish I had paid attention more in seminary! To those who are in seminary, PAY ATTENTION!! Seminary is a place for you to learn about Jesus Christ and to study the scriptures to help prepare you for life! It is an hour long, and I know for some that may seem really long but it’s not! On a mission you have 16 hour long days. Every hour is the Lord’s time. 1 compared to 16 is so little!! And then you have 8 hours of sleep and you start the whole process all over again! Matthew 26:40 Look it up. Read it. And think about spending 1 hour with the Lord in seminary 4-5 days a week. That is very little. And guess what!? That’s all he asks of you right now. Embrace seminary. I sure wish I had!

That’s all I have time for today! I hope all is still well with everyone! You are all in my thoughts and prayers! Have a good week!

-Elder Waite

Oh, how I love this kid. I miss him so much but I wouldn't want him anywhere else. I can already see a change in him. I'm so grateful for the missionary program that changes these boys into men right before our eyes. The Lord's plan is so perfect! We are so blessed.

Found a guitar to play! 

That's my boy

...As They Walked and Walked and Walked

Hey Everyone!

This week was pretty good! We taught quite a few lessons to a bunch of different people! I still struggle with speaking to people. But I’m getting there, I think... haha! 
We walked A LOT this week! We get 1200 miles a month and because my zone is so huge we have used up quite a bit of miles already this month so we are trying to cut back by walking around Payette.
I got ahold of a guitar this week! Finally! I've been able to play it a few times but not much because we are ALWAYS on the move! But that’s missionary work! Busy, busy, busy! its awesome most of the time but can be very, very tiring!
I don’t really have anything spiritual to share this week because everybody we went to go see it seemed like, couldn’t talk and told us to come back another time. So it’s hard but humbling as well.
I hope everyone’s first week of school went alright back home! Good luck this week! 
Mr. Smith, work them hard in History and Economics! Especially my sister! hahaha, sorry Lydia;)
Anyway I love you all! Have a great week! The gospel is true! The atonement is real! Always remember that!

-Elder Waite

Jacob says he really misses driving. Any of you that know him very well know that he loves cars and driving! He’s a ‘car guy’ for sure! The senior companion does the driving so he won’t be driving for quite a while! He's trying to be thankful for the Toyota Corolla that they get to drive. Haha. 
He says he’s working on his relationship with Christ and as the mom I can see the development of it already. We both agree that a mission is very difficult but it can shape you into a new person in Christ if you let it. He’s being blessed and I look forward to watching this process take place over the next two years. 

There is a primary song that speaks of the pioneer children crossing the plains. It goes like this: 

"Pioneer children sang as they walked, and walked, and walked, and walked." 

I'm sure Jacob can relate to pioneer children this week!

My daily planner

The pizza burned even though I followed the directions!

My companion, Elder Boswell

I made the green jello that my family sent in my 'greenie' package
I was really hungry!

On the road to Nampa for meetings

My handmade leather scripture case is starting to show some wear!

No School for Me

Hey Everyone!

Not much to report this week! Except that every day is a busy day! We teach A LOT of lessons. It’s crazy. We did get a couple new investigators this week. Erica is one of them. She’s awesome and is progressing very well. 
We had the opportunity to give quite a few blessings this week. Those are some humbling moments for sure! But amazing experiences all the same. 
St. Johns starts school today! It’s weird that I don’t have to go there anymore. Lol. I hope y’all have some fun this year!
I never have much to say, I know! I hope that I can have a few experiences this week that I can share with you all!
I hope you all have a great week!

-Elder Waite

Jacob says his companion is the second (just like him!) of 11 kids! He has 5 sisters (just like him!) and 5 brothers. His older sister’s name is Esther! They get along really well and Jacob is learning a lot from him. He keeps forgetting to bring his camera with him when they go out in the morning. So, he took some photos this morning of their apartment…

eating a cookie in the kitchen

He says Dr. Pepper is good for his soul

he's still clean and tidy :)

No More Smelly Apartment

Hey Everyone!

I hope everyone’s week went well! There's lots to do here in Payette, Idaho! My companion and I have met with A LOT of people the past couple weeks. We met with a guy named James on Saturday and taught him the first lesson and committed him to baptism! He was a referral from one of his friends that had been recently baptized and had been talking to him about the church so he was pretty interested!

My apartment was kinda smelly at first but my companion, Elder Boswell, and I cleaned it up really nice and it doesn’t smell anymore! lol. We live with members in an add on to their house. They are an old couple and she has dementia and forgets things. But she always remembers us and is the happiest person you’ll ever meet! Always greets us with a smile! Her husband is 92 years old but you wouldn’t know it if you saw him! They go fishing almost every day and the other day he caught 12 fish! He is awesome!

Anyway, I don’t have a lot of time so I hope you all have a great week! School starts next week for you St. Johns dwellers! lol Have fun!! ;)

I love you all!

-Elder Waite

Our family sent a ‘greenie’ package to Jacob this week. He said he got it right after they had gone to the store and we had sent the same air fresheners they had just bought! Haha! I knew he would be the kind of missionary that would clean up each new apartment he moved into. (It’s pretty typical for missionaries to have messy/dirty apartment – they are just 18-20 years old!) He definitely likes his surroundings to be clean.

Jacob says he’s working hard on learning how to talk to people. He’s a pretty quiet guy so it’s been a struggle. He said his companion thinks he’s doing better. I’m sure he’ll be great at it after 24 months! Ether 12:27 promises that our weaknesses can be made into strengths. I believe it! I’ve already seen him improve!

Jacob said he completely forgot to take any photos this week.
 But, I loved getting this text out of the blue from
an older couple they were teaching that day! 

Lots of Work in Idaho!

Hey Everyone!

This is probably gonna be pretty short, so I'm sorry, but I guess you should know I made it to Idaho! Everything is going great! I think... My companion and I are working hard! And the spirit is guiding us!

Keep reading the scriptures and never stop praying! If you do those two things I know you can't go wrong! I hope all is well with everyone! Maybe next week's email will be longer but I have to go now!

I love you all! Have a good week!

-Elder Waite



Here's a quote from Elder Waite's email to me this week:

"I have met a lot of members. They are all pretty awesome. Brother Ward (ward mission leader) is awesome. He has so much for us to do. We have a lot of less actives. But, we also have a lot of investigators. Yesterday a couple kids in the primary gave us Books of Mormon with their testimonies in them to give out and we got to place one of them yesterday. That was pretty cool."

He sounds really good. As the mom I've already seen growth and I feel blessed to have him surrounded by good people.