Hello!
It was a great week full of special reunions and a lot of work. We've been looking and finding and teaching a lot here in Ochagavia. It seems like here, more than anything, we have to find the chosen or in other words find the investigators who are going to progress. We’re working though so although were not always wet from baptizing, I am confident that we’ll find those elect and baptize in March. I’m extremely grateful to be here in a stake were the missionary work is so needed and there’s so much to do. It’s fun though. I’ve never enjoyed those short hours of sleep every night so much in my life.
We also had a special training reunion with Elder Bednar on Wednesday. We watched a broadcast from Buenos Aires Argentina to the Southern Region of South America. It was more than special to hear the words of a prophet and his counsel in a missionary based setting. He taught a lot of things, but what really stuck to to me was what he said at the beginning—We are not objects we are agents. We have been given power from God to choose for ourselves, and more than that we must treat others as agents and not as objects. I think that is something that we all do as teachers and leaders or really in any situation, we treat others more like objects, or we expect them to do what we want when in reality they are agents.
This eternal principle of agency is somethings that I have really enjoyed learning about and applying in my life here as a missionary. We also had another awesome meeting where we ate lunch with President (Mexican Tacos just in case you were wondering). We talked a little bit of the same principle. Let me quote a scripture that called my attention. DyC 58:
26 For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.
27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;
28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
I love that phrase, “there the power is in us.” Let us live accordingly. I love the mission and can’t wait to see the miracles that come this week Elder Bednar blessed our stewardship and all of us missionaries to be fruitful at this time. Our missionaries cant wait to see those fruits..
Elder Walker
PS. Shout out to my friends that got engaged: Tanner and Braize!!
PSS Fotos from eating lunch with the zone. We ate tacos and had lemon pie for dessert. Delicious :)
