First Week!

Hello Family,

How are you all doing?! How's school? How's work? I saw all your emails and read them, it’s good to hear from you. Sorry if I don't respond to them all, I love you and I hope all is well.

I love it here at the MTC, it has been so great so far! But it has also been a very busy week. I have learned so much, I feel like the change in my testimony has gone from the Sahara Desert to the Amazon or something. Not that I didn't have a testimony before, but it has definitely grown. I think it's impossible to not have a strengthened testimony while at the MTC. Each day I learn so much about the church and the spirit is always so strong! I love it! I am actually not homesick. I hope you're not offended. Being at college before this helped. And it is kind of impossible to be homesick at the MTC because we have 16 hour days where it is jam packed full of teaching and class and devotional. And gym time is a great break! But I love learning and feeling the spirit all the time! And you would think that after studying and working with the scriptures and preach my gospel for all day every day, I would get tired of it. But I'm not. I get up at 6:30 every morning excited to get going at it again!

My companion is super cool, her name is Sister Gillie, she's from Montgomery AL. The people in my district are also really fun. All the sisters are going to New Mexico Farmington and all the elders are going to Pocatello ID. The elders are really funny and one of them has an Elmo voice and sometimes sings the Elmo song to wake us all up after being in the classroom for several hours. One of the sisters had us laughing our heads off last night at dinner when she was putting on a southern accent.

 We have class every day, and we are with our district for basically all day, and most of the day we sit in this tiny classroom and study or teach. It’s always best when we have a teacher there to help us. Our teachers are Brother Crandall and Brother Meyers. And did you know that the teachers at the MTC are really young? I thought they would all be older, but both of mine are not even a year off their missions, going to BYU. Sister Gillie and I have been teaching several investigators this week and we have learned to go by the spirit because the spirit is the real teacher. They keep telling us to teach people, not lessons, and it’s so true!

We had one investigator that our teacher was pretending to be, and we got her to commit to baptism and it was so exciting! After we had 3 lessons with her, Brother Crandall told us who the investigator really was and it was so cool! It turns out, he met her on Tinder. The Lord works in mysterious ways! And then he ran into her at temple square, and had a long visit with her. Turns out she's atheist but is slowly becoming interested in God. He taught her and she wanted to meet with the missionaries, but he was nervous to hand her over because what if the missionaries were slacking or not taking their responsibilities seriously? But guess what? One of the missionaries in her area was one that Brother Crandall had just taught in the MTC! And it was his first area, and this investigator took the lessons and is going to get baptized on Oct 10!! I thought that was so cool! That missionary was in our shoes not even 6 weeks ago, it felt so real when he told us that, after teaching her and learning to love her and wanting to help her, and now she's going to be baptized in real life! I have really learned to love the investigators we teach, which is weird because we have only met with them like 2 or 3 times each, but the church is true and I want them (and everyone) to have it in their lives.

Being a missionary is so fun! Our entire purpose is to help others and invite them to come unto Christ. We get to study and teach and love people, and that's it!

On our first day here, they gathered all the new missionaries into a room and we had a devotional and then we sang "The Army of Helaman" and wow, that was so powerful! They got permission from Janice Kapp Perry to change the words from "we will soon be the Lord's missionaries" to "we are now the Lords' missionaries" and the spirit was super strong!

We met our branch president last Thursday night, and he shared with us a really cool perspective. He was talking about Abraham being a noble and great one, and then related it to us and said we are all noble and great. But then he said that we have been alive since the premortal life, and we have had the gospel that whole time! It's only been in the past 19 years that I have been on this side of the veil, and that's nothing compared to 6,000+ years! But the coolest thing he said was that we have been doing this work our whole life. Before we came to earth, we were sharing the gospel and now, I'm on a mission continuing that work. I thought that was really cool.

In our district, there are 6 sisters and 5 elders. I think it’s awesome how we have more sisters than elders. Did you know that twice this year, the MTC has had more sisters than elders?! Go sisters! And guess what else? Spoiler alert: some of the MTC missionaries are going to be singing in the Saturday afternoon session of general conference! But I won't be, they only took the very most talented singing missionaries who have been in at least one audition choir. Not me, but that's ok. Two of the sisters from my district are going! Sam, now these missionaries can say "we're from the MTC, Mormon Tabernacle Choir," and it will actually be true :)

One other really spiritual life changing thing was Sunday night we watched a talk by Elder Bednar called The Character of Christ. The spirit was SOO STRONG! He said that the character of Christ is to turn outward when the natural man would turn inward. Basically, when you think it’s a good moment to glorify yourself or get some credit for something you did, or you want others have sympathy on you, that is actually a moment of being tested to see if you have the character of Christ, because He would turn outward and think of others, when he had every reason to have pity on himself. My whole perspective on life was changed in less than an hour. I challenge you to turn outward the next time you have a moment when you want somebody to look at you and have sympathy for you. By putting off the natural man, you will be more like Christ and you will be blessed! (Mosiah 3:19).

There are so many things I have learned and so many more spiritual experiences, I wish I had time to share them all.

I hope you are all doing well. The church is true! I know that we can all become more like the Savior by doing the small and simple things. Heavenly Father loves us and wants to helps us. He is waiting with open arms for you to turn to him. The Book of Mormon is true. I know that if we try to read it every day, we will have the strength we need to make it through this life and be able to change and when that happens, we will want to read it every day because we will notice a difference.

Love,
Sister Valerie Withers

Sister Valerie Withers

Sister Valerie Withers was called to serve in the New Mexico Farmington mission on June 4, 2016.  She entered the Missionary Training Center on September 21, 2016 and will arrive in New Mexico on October 10, 2016.  Her letters and pictures will be posted to this site.

Last Six Weeks Went Fast, A Lot of Testimony Building Experiences

June 8, 2015

Well Hello Folks!

I hope you are all doing well.  I am working hard, and I feel bad for having written even less than last week, just know that when I get home, we aren’t going to worry about the hour writing time, because we can talk face to face every day!

These last six weeks have gone by fast, but I am glad I still have one more, I want to enjoy to the maximum.

We are grateful to have such great members who help out a lot.  

My companion has been feeling quite sick this last week, we are going to see a doctor in an hour.  Hopefully it is nothing serious.  Please pray that he can get better.  

Well there sure have been a lot of testimony building experiences over the last 2 years.  I know that God lives, and that he loves us, and that he takes interest in our lives.  I am so grateful for my mission.

I love you all, more than the number of walleye it would take to pull an aircraft carrier from the port of Talcahuano.  See you soon.

With love,

Elder Withers

Wish My Mission Could Go On Forever

Dear Family,

Well, it has been a little bit cold down here in Chile, but it would only make sense, I can’t imagine a country more chilly than Chile.  Well, just know that I am happy and healthy. 

I am sad that the mission doesn’t go on forever, but that doesn’t mean I am not excited to be with you guys.  I just sort of wish the mission could last longer, it will be hard to leave.  I spent a good chunk of my writing time getting the addresses of people so I can send those pictures with the temple and my contact information.  That is why this email is a bit short. 

This week was another good week, with lots of miracles along the way.  There are so many miracles that happen in the mission field, I know I don’t realize even half of the miracles that happen right around me, and out of the few I actually notice, I maybe have told you about 10%, if that.  Just know that there are lots of miracles, big and small, every single day.  It might be a wonderful day, or it might be a seemingly lousy day with lots of walking around in the rain, and it is still blessings galore.

We had a large ward fireside about the Book of Mormon.  It was fascinating.  The Book is true, it is powerful, and we all need to read it every day.

I love you all more than the number of times that God has blessed someone because they kept the commandment to which the blessing is affixed.

Have a great day!

Elder Withers

Inspirational Quotes and a Testimony of the Book of Mormon

Dear Family,

 You guys are so awesome.  Thanks for praying for the people we are teaching.  It really makes a difference.

This week was a slower week than we had hoped for.  It isn’t always easy, but that is what makes fruitful moments all the better.  We had high hopes of finding some families, but a lot of plans fell through.  But those plans did not take our hope with them.  We will be at it again for this week, working harder and smarter than at any previous point in our missions.

This morning we had a zone activity of playing ultimate Frisbee.  It was a lot of fun, and luckily, no one lost the Frisbee.  

I enjoy trying to remember good quotes, and like anyone, I have heard hundreds of inspirational words of wisdom.  I have discovered that Elder Barnes also enjoys having a few good quotes, and in the house we often listen to recordings of inspirational speeches given at BYU.  Here are a few quotes I have grown to like:

“The grass is not greener on the other side.  It is greener where you water it.” 

“If you want to leave footprints in the sands of time, wear work boots.”

“Yesterday is ashes.  Tomorrow is wood.  Only today does the fire burn brightly.”

My comp had the great idea of getting together some good recipes from Chile.  There are a few members who have offered to write recipes.  I will bring home a small collection of what I deem to be the best foods this country has to offer.  Most of the ingredients are easy to find.  I won’t bring recipes for lentejas nor cazuela (lentils or casserole).

I will be sure to bring home a whole lot of Chilean candy.

Well just be sure that you know that I know that the Book of Mormon is true.  It is the most important book we can have in our lives.  I hope that all of us (myself included) can grow to more fully treasure it, study it, and openly feast upon it.  I have been thinking about the importance of the Book of Mormon lately.  The people who I have helped prepare for baptism and who had meaningful studies of this book are active, while those whose scripture studies were weak aren’t as strong in the Gospel.   

I know that this is the true church.  I know that my mission is a time to serve God by serving his children.  I am grateful for this time.  I sure wish I could have more time to serve, but the mission is only 2 years.  2 years spent teaching the gospel has been a great blessing and a time of growth for me.  I know there is still a lot to learn in life, but the mission has definitely prepared me for life’s challenges a whole lot better than anything else.  I am eternally grateful for the experiences I have had, and am continuing to have.

I love you all so very much.  More than the number of people who have felt the power of the Holy Ghost as they read the Book of Mormon.

Have the best week so far of 2015.

Elder Withers

Wonderful Visit on Mother's Day, Joy Seeing Best Friend and Cousin

Mother's Note:  

We had a wonderful talk with Elder Withers on Mother's Day.  He looks great, and is really enjoying the work.  He is an amazing missionary, but still the same Chad we know and love.  

Dallin (Elder Hill) that he mentions in this letter is his cousin.  They have always been close friends.  Elder Hill is from Woods Cross, Utah and is serving in the Concepcion South Mission.  Chad is in the Concepcion Mission, and the mission offices are in the same building.  They both happened to be passing through the office at the same time.  I can only imagine the excitement they must have felt to see each other.  

We have received travel plans for Elder Withers.  He will be home on June 17!!!

Dearest Family,

Me da gusto saber que estan bien.  (It makes me happy to know you are all well.)

Today, for the first time since the MTC, I saw Dallin!!!  We both happened to be in the office at the same time.  It was cool to see him.  I was going to take a picture, but my camera battery died right then, I will be sure to charge it today.  My companion took a picture of us.  It was fun to sit down and just talk with him for about 15 or 20 min.  I will get you that picture.  Dallin is such an awesome person.  I am glad to be his cousin.

This week my companion and I are planning to work crazy hard, and we’ve got the plans to do it.  We both want to finish our missions working hard.  We are trying to find people to teach and baptize.  We are working with an 18 year old named Sebastian, he went to church yesterday and is preparing to be baptized on June 6.  There is also Claudia who is 16, and is preparing for the 13^th of June.  They are both friends of a ward missionary who invited them to take the lessons.  There is also Victor, 9 years old, whose grandfather is active, but mother is less active.  The whole family lives together, and they are excited for their youngest to be baptized on the 13th.  We however would really like to find some families.  Because people have to go to church 3 times before they can get baptized, people who we find this week I can see get baptized.  The favor I am asking for is that you pray for us to find families who accept the gospel and go to the temple in a year, as well as pray for Sebastian, Claudia, and Victor.  Elder Barnes and I are going to do all we can to find new investigators.  Your prayers are appreciated.

Today, we ate lunch with the Kauer family, a missionary couple from Rexburg.  They are really nice.  They invited us to eat with them, and it was a great lunch.  It was good to eat a chicken enchilada (something that no one cooks here in Chile).  

I am happy and healthy.  I am eating in the mornings and evenings nothing but fruit smoothies, and trying to eat less bread and soda at lunches.   

We are working at getting the area all figured out.  There are lots of member families, and we decided to make thank you notes for all of them.  We really want to take advantage of having so many members, so we are going to work at getting references, including helping Bishop build a covering/garage for his pickup truck.

I greatly appreciate the many emails and letters that you guys send.  You are more than awesome.  I love you all more than the number of pounds of ice it would take to make the ocean freeze over thick enough to drive some 10,000 semi trucks lined up in a train.

I love you all!

-Elder Withers

Transfers... Staying in Talcahuano, new Companion from Idaho

May 4, 2015

Dear Familiy,

Well, transfers have come!  I am going to.... stay here in Talcahuano, but Elder Incil se va a Linares, at the north end of the mission, 4 hours from here.  My new companion will be Elder Barnes from Rigby, Idaho.  He is an excellent missionary, I once went on splits with him when I was his district leader, and I am looking forward to learn from him again.  It will be his first transfer as zone leader, and I am excited to show him the ropes.  Shocking but not too surprising, the other area of Cruz del Sur is being closed.  There were 4 elders in the ward, but now there will be only 2.  It was expected because the amount of missionaries entering the mission is significantly less than the number of missionaries finishing their missions.  I heard that each mission will have roughly 200 missionaries, so that means our mission will shrink slightly.  Pray for Elder Barnes and I, that we will be able to quickly learn the streets, members, and teaching groups of the other missionaries.  We lived in the same house but had the ward subdivided.  It is a lot of area to cover, but God wouldnt call us to fail, I know he will help us find, teach, and send people towards the temple.   

Christian was baptized on Saturday.  It was a very spiritual baptismal service, and I felt the spirit strongly.  It was edifying.  A member who accompanied us frequently in the teaching process baptized him, and Christian asked me to confirm him.  Finding, teaching, and baptizing this good man was a true testimony building experience.  He was a promising street contact; he gladly accepted the baptismal challenge in the first visit and has progressed steadily.  I am happy to know that there are millions of men and women all around the world like him who are ready to accept the gospel; they just need to have it preached to them.  Yesterday in fast and testimony meeting, he decided to share his testimony, and it was a great memory I will take from the mission. Seeing a recent convert, having just barely received the Holy Ghost, share a short and sincere testimony of how, by the spirit, he came to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that this is the only true church on the face of the earth.  Many members shared testimonies after he spoke, all brief and heartfelt, and it was the most powerful and uplifting fast and testimony meeting I have witnessed.  

Well, time has slipped away.  I am happy and healthy, and the church is true.   

I love you all, more than the number of rocks and plants that have been displaced by all the volcanic eruptions over the last 1000 years.

-Elder Withers