Sweet Christmas

Elder Marcus Walker 

So I talked to the fam on Christmas Day and it was something else, I don't know how describe it. I only cried for the last ten minutes. haha. The things that surprised me most were Clay's height, Chloe's boyfriend (yes, I'm calling him that--enough of that wishy washy stuff), and Camron's hair (Chloe please fix that!) It was all kinda too much, and I got pretty sick after. Fever of 102. 

So that's where I'm at now--a little home sick and really sick. haha. I talked to Nicholas on Christmas Eve and we talked about our sectors and our comps and the fact that our family was all at Gradma’s house right then. That’s just about it. Then, at the end he asked me how many times I have gotten sick and I said none. He said that he threw up four times the night before and that the Chileans must actually clean their food. And ironically, I woke up the next day a little sick. Now I have a pretty high fever and a bad cough and cold. I’ve been taking my medicine. I’ll be fine.

I’m ready for a new week. Well, Christmas is over and now its time for a Happy New year. However, last week was amazing. I talked with Nicholas, the family, got sick, and had the baptism of Aranza, and it ended with her confirmation on Sunday. 

As for your questions regarding Christmas traditions here. So everyone one Christmas Eve here has a huge dinner, which is a little different for them because they never really eat diner here, so we ate a big dinner at the Gonzolas´s house. I had the best dessert that I’ve ever had on my mission. And then I’ve heard of people opening their gifts on Christmas Eve or in the morning Christmas Day, so they do both like us. Another funny thing is they call Santa Claus, viejito pasqúero, which means little old christmas man. Actually, Christmas it was sweet. We actually got a lot of gifts from the members and celebrated a lot of the holiday with them.

Love,

E Walker

Christmas is coming!

Christmas Greetings!

Here are a few Christmas pictures. This week was pretty great. Everyone is just happy, and for the first time I felt like it was Christmas. Christmas songs were playing, and the sun shining its bright summer rays (don't be surprised if I'm sunburned when we Skype). We had a reunión for the mision and a christmas concert put on by the missionaries. We played games and don’t worry worked really hard too. In fact one day when were out in the crowed street of the Islita, it started to rain and it was kinda cold on that day, and wow I was a little home sick. But then it passed. Before this week though, it hasn't even felt like Christmas, but know its starting to sink in that in two days my family is going to be going over to my Grandma’s house to hold our annual Christmas Eve nativity. I just try not to think about that though. 

But this hot holiday season has been amazing, and last week was amazing. We had a milagro and the mom or our recent convert Kim came up to us at church yesterday and told us that her other daughter wants to get baptized, and wow it was just so happy and then she told us that she want to get baptized this Saturday. This is huge for that family and were working so hard with their dad who isn't a member, but he's already given permission to her. And this will be his second baptism that he's been to. That family is so great and also the Gonzales family. I’ll talk a little bit more about them on Thursday. I love you guys so much and I miss you so much. It’s going to probably be one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life to hang up after a short hour. I’ve tried not to be too excited because after that hour its back to 6 months of none stop work. It’s too hard not to be excited though!!!! In the end its like President told me in our interview last week, I get one hour to be trunky and that’s it. Then it’s back to saving the world. 
     Just so everyone knows, I’m really excited to talk with Nick too. I have no idea what I’m going to say, but it’s going to be great. Come with so questions, everyone. If I cry just blame it all on dad. haha.

Love you and peace out until Thursday!!


Elder Marcus Walker 

Slow Week

Hey!
So this week I don't really have much to say; it was really slow. My bike broke 3 times in one day and my comp got sick and we had to stay in the house for a whole day. Elder Molina was pretty bad, but he’s getting better. I just hope that he doesn't get me sick too. We don't have a mirror right now so this last week I got super sunburned and didn't even realize until all the member told me that I looked like a tomate. 

Right now I'm reading in 3 Nephi when Jesus comes to the Americas and it fits in perfectly with Christmas and all. Jesus talks about a lot of things about fufilling the law and establishing the new law of repentance and love. But what I like most is when he finishes and looks on the people and sees that they don't want him to go and decides to heal all the sick and bless all the children. It's amazing. My goal is to finish before we skype in 2 more weeks or so. 

I’m at the point where I’m starting to see what type of missionary I want to be. And the sad thing is it’s a lot easier, obviously, to be a missionary who bends the rules to be friends the members and investigators. Even if all that can be good, it can be distracting as well. I can talk enough now to the point where in the visits is really easy to just spend way too much time. And to be honest we wasted a lot of time this last week. It's tough because I'm just trying to find that balance, and obviously, I want to do more. Elder Molina and I are really good friends, and he’s really friendly. That’s part of why it's so hard, I think, to keep our time short in the lessons. But in the end we here to help everyone, and I just need to repent and work harder I don't want to talk on Christmas knowing that I haven't been working as hard as I can. 

Love you all,

Elder Marcus Walker

Elder Molina and I here in the Almacen. I’m wearing my big, fat, ugly tie. Everyone needs a good grandpa tie. 

Another week, living the life

All right,

So Elder Molina is my comp now, and sorry I didn't write yesterday. Chileans have a whole bunch of holidays and even they don't always know what they’re celebrating, but everything was closed and we couldn't do internet. But I guess yesterday was a celebration for the conception of Jesus, so Happy Immaculate Conception Day! Haha. Elder Molina and I have been getting along well, and it’s been good. I've had to do a lot of the planning and decision making because he’s new and doen’t know anything about he sector. That has been stressful.

We finally moved houses, and I'm soo happy! Our toliet has a seat to it!!!! I used the bathroom in peace for the fist time in about 3 months—it was magical. It’s a big house, and now that we live in our sector so we don't have to ride so far every morning, which is nice. We had a few lessons this last week with the dad of Kimberly who is our recent convert as of a week now. He’s awesome and believes in God but not in a church. He is open to hearing new things and we’ve talked, but he still has a lot of doubts. Cristmas is coming and I can’t wait to talk. I don’t have any more time cuz this computer sucks and the internet won’t load.

Love you all,

Elder Marcus Walker

Staying in Islita Again

So yeah, the week started of kinda crummy. We were coming back pretty late from an investigator’s house and like I've said already we live pretty far away from our area. So we started off on our adventure and like always were a little bit late so we had to ride really fast to arrive at the house on time. In the first fourth of the way my tire started going flat, so I started going really slow and my comp starts getting farther and farther away. But I just sucked it up. One of the mottos for the mission is “fix it," so I thought to myself no problem just work harder. Then my chain got stuck about half way there and my bike wont pedal. And at this point, I couldn't even see my comp he was so far ahead. I got off my bike and start running. My comp finally realized how far behind I was and stopped. I caught up to him, and we walked then my bike. But then chain got caught in the back wheel and wouldn’t even roll. So the last quarter of the way I put the bike on my back and walked. haha. we got back like 40 minutes late that day.

Elder Brown and I had a baptism last week. We baptised Kimberly Wondele Roncoglilo Fariz, and I gave her the gift of the holy ghost which was awesome and also why I know her complete name. Yeah, I was super nervous and my Spanish just left me, but I think it went all right. So yeah Elder Brown and I had changes, and I'm still here in La Islita de Maipu with an Elder Molina from Mexico that lived in the U S and can speak both Spanish and English, but Spanish is his first language, which is sweet. I hardly know him but yeah well have 6 weeks together because he leaves after this change. But yeah some letters would be awesome for Chistmas. I haven't gotten a real letter yet in my mission. I did get the Christmas package mom, which is sick, but I still do want a picture of the family and my calendar, if they’re not there. idk. But yeah elder Brown took that tie so ahh, haha, so if you want to send my new comp something. It’s up to you. Personally it cost way to much. Anyway, I love you guys. Im going to go talk to Prez to see if I can talk to Nick on Christmas, so tell Nick to do the same. 

ELDER WALKER