In the Big City

Ya,

Well, I finally got changed!! After 6 months of riding bikes, learning Spanish, and 3 companions, I left La Islita, and now I'm in a zone called 5 de Abril--in the big city! La Islita will always be a special place for me. It’s where I learned a little bit about being a missionary. Saying bye to everyone was sad, but there is no greater joy than hearing the testimony of those that you could help. 

I’m going to miss Elder Nash, he was always just so happy and feel free to look him up on youtube: James Nash Yugio. He told me that he has a ton of views on one of his Yugio videos. So now I’m with Elder Oliver—another Gingo!!! Haha. He's awesome. Elder Oliver is from Oregon, and I don’t know him to well, but I know he loves to dance. In fact, he is pretty much a professional ballroom dancer from what I've heard. He’s chill and I'm excited to get to work in this ward with him. 

President today taught us something pretty cool. He talked to us about hope. He read to us Ether chapter 12 verse 4, I think, where it says that hope is more than just a wish that is the firm faith that something’s going to happen like eternal life. I think for a lot of my life I've thought of hope as being a dream or a wish when in reality, it’s so much more. It’s working towards a goal and expecting the best, expecting the desired result after you’ve done all that you've can. That’s actually pretty interesting because the word for to hope and to expect are the same in Spanish. I’m going to try to develop more hope this change. 

Yes, mom, I got the packages. Thanks so much!!! I love you and I'm pretty nervous and excited to continue one this journey. 

Love,
Elder Walker

                                  

Pretty Groovy Week

Hi,

So, this last week was pretty groovy, as Cam would say. We’re working really hard, Elder Nash and I. We’ve found some families that are really awesome, but w’ed like it if more people went to church. But wouldn't we all? We found a family that’s super humble and they honestly seem mormon—just the way the mom treats her daughter and the way the dad works. Their names are Luz, José, and Francisca, wow are they amazing! I have so much hope for them. After the first lesson, Francisca already knew about Moroni, Mormon, José Smith they’re so great. I hope they get baptized. 

We had a meeting with the mission and Elder Gonzales from the 70. He talked about the Book of Mormon and how to contact people. He emphasized that first we have to establish common ground, testify about the BoM, and commit them to read it. It was pretty cool because he could do that for literally any question. For example, if asked, "Do you believe in the Virgin?”   He answered, ”We know that Maria was the mother of Christ, and WE TOO believe that she was a very important and chosen vessel of God. In fact I was reading a book this morning that talks a little bit about Maria and Christ..." Anyway, I loved this idea and am going to practice.

On a more random note we found an Australian man here in Chile living in la Islita, and he has 25 dogs. I have no idea what the heck he’s doing in Chile with so many dogs, but he’s cool. 

Peace out! Probably going to be in a different area next week!!

Love,
Elder Walker

Here are a few of his 25 dogs.

Ohh yeah, and I bought some Mate!

Clutch

Hi,

Hahahahah. Thanks Mom I am clutch in the fourth quarter, and I plan on working really hard my last two weeks in La Islita. I don’t have much time but lets just say that more rules changed this week. President talked to the zone leaders and changed more rules for the missionaries mainly having to do with bedtime, cleaning the pension, the way we update the area book and things like that. It’s going to be hard, but I'm ready. As for the realignment of the wards, it stinks, but you have to trust in God first and then in his priesthood leaders. Going to the right ward makes a lot of difference. 

I got sick for the first time really bad. Well not really that bad compared to Nic, I just ate something bad and had the worst stomach pain of my life then threw up and was fine. Wow Anna thats crazy!! But homeschool’s awesome. Keep an eye on Deany boy for me. Things are good here and working hard with Elder Nash. We did some plumbing today and took out a whole bunch of hair out of the drain which made me think of Chloe’s shower. haha. I have no time sorry love you all!!

Elder Walker

PS Happy Birthday to my Grandma Sue! I love you more!

Great week!

Hola! 

Well, this last week was an adventure. Elder Nash and I are working hard. In fact I haven’t said much about my comp for New York yet. He's 19 and has about a year in the mission. He lives in a small city in New York next to Canada and to pay for his mission he actually worked in Canada. So thats cool. He also plays at as a professional Yugio player. Like in tournaments and stuff. He actually used that as a way to pay for his mission as well. He knows everything about Star Wars. He comes from from a family of 15 including all of his step brothers and sisters. But most importantly he works hard and tries to be obedient. And what I love is his attitude I'm trying to learn how to be happy like him. He reminds me of Sister Honey or something--super enthusiastic and happy. 

The mission is changing a lot right now. It's already changed a ton since I arrived. The missionaries before in the words of Presidente, "Mis misioneros son puros, puros trechos," which means my missionaries are pure pure crooked—stretching the rules to the limit. So yeah, we had a meeting today as a mission and implemented some new rules. For example we can't chat anymore with anyone during internet (sorry Mom), we can’t communicate with anyone in the mission boundaries unless president himself reads the letter, and we can’t enter the gate of a house of a women when she’s alone. That and a lot more about the fruits of our labors. He said we haven't had very many baptisms, and it’s because we’ve been disobedient as a mission. I’m kind of glad for the clarification on the rules. You know me. haha.

Apart form that, everything’s chill. I’m happy working hard and love my leaders. Thanks for all the emails and support. Here’s some photos of my birthday for you, Mom. haha.

Love, 
Elder Walker

Unforgettable Day

Well, family and friends. This week is a week I’ll never forget. 

The bikes are broken so we’ve been walking around everywhere. Elder Nash and I are getting a lot done so that’s good. My feet kinda hurt though, but whatever. 

Anyways the reason why this week was unforgettable is because of what happened on Saturday. Up until this point in my life, my worst day was the day I hit Spencer while playing racquetball, but Saturday was probably the worst, no, definitely the worst day of my life. I’ll try to describe it the best I can.

So we have this investigator Benjamin, and so you know he's 9 years old. I don't know what I've mentioned about him, so I'm just going to say it all. He’s 9 years old and the Mother is kinda less active but had been going strong. So Benja because he’s more than 8 years of age is our responsibility as missionaries, and so I taught him the lessons with Elder Molina. He was ready to be baptized, but the thing is that he has a fear of water and this fear of water has caused a ton of problems in the past. In fact, he’s tried to get baptized on 4 separate occasions. Sometimes he was too scared to try. 2 times some part of his body left the water and didn't count. Each time he got scared and said no, I don't want to redo the baptism and left. And Benja picked me to baptize him this time. (My first baptism.) So with this in mind we had his baptism last Saturday.

We showed up at 5 when it was supposed to start, and nobody was there. We had to wait and wait. The family showed an hour later, and then the counselor of the ward showed up. So was a little on edge about that, but finally everything was good and calm. I had practice with Benja like 5 times how it was going to happen what we were going to do. I had prayed and in fact was fasting at the time. Everything was perfect. I got in the water and went to perform the ordinance and made very sure that everything was submerged (in the water), and then when I looked up, the counselor of the rama told me that I forgot to say Amen. (I am pretty sure I said it but maybe too quietly.) So I had to do it again, and Benja got scared. They shut the door so we could talk. I sat there talking with him for like 5 minutes and he was completely unresponsive and in total and complete fear. So his mom came and talked to him, and finally he leaves the water after like 15 min. So I just stayed there in the baptismal fount and cried. Finally, I left and walked in the bathroom and sat on the toilette and cried. 

I went from disbelief  and shock to being sad, then angry, but why am I telling this depressing story? I still don't understand why I messed up because it happened when I was trying to everything so right. I do know that we don't always get to choose our circumstances, but we do get to choice how we react. At first I cried, then there was a part of me that wanted to be mad and that wanted to say that I didn't do anything wrong. (The guy is just hard of hearing.) In the end the Mom was pretty mad when I got out of the bathroom and she left. That night I called her and told her that I was so sorry that all I wanted and all I want is to help their family. In the moment I know that she was mad, but after talking to her that night we both felt better. In Basketball, I remember after getting in a fight or disagreement with my coach, my mom told me to go apologize after. This didn't make any sense because I didn’t think I did anything wrong.  I felt like he was the one who judged me wrongly, and I was just defending myself. But there is so much power in those two words: I’m sorry. 

That’s all I’ve got. Hard week.

Happy Birthday to Me

Hello,

All right, I have no time family, so sorry, but this week was great. I turned 19 and am going to finish off being a teenager here in the mission so that’s cool. I had two cakes and, wow, was I full yesterday! It’s a tradition here when someone has a birthday to have them bite the cake for their first bite (or at least that’s what they told me). So I bit the corner of the cake and someone smashed my face in the cake. haha.

I really don’t have time because I wrote a lot of people today, who wrote me for my birthday, but mom thanks for the letter I needed that. And president called me last night along with the Hermana to say happy birthday, so that was awesome. They’re pretty much my parents now, and I looove talking with Hermana B. She’s amazing and so inspired. Got to go. Sorry. And dad I'm glad that you guys went to Provo and out to Brazilian BBQ for my birthday. haha.

Love,

Elder Walker

Staying in La Islita

Hi,

Well, this last week was pretty trunky. I spent most of my time in the office and listening to talks about marriage and travel home. Elder Molina was great though, and I learned a lot from him. I was a little sad though because a few weeks ago he got an email from his friends about his girlfriend who he’s been with for 4 years, and with 2 weeks left in his mission he found some stuff out and broke up with her. I could kind of tell he was a little off, and when we got to the pension he was looking for and taking out pictures. Then, he told me what happened and said, "It doesn’t bother me, pero si me molesta.” I felt kind of bad and found him out on our porch trying to burn the photos of her with matches, which was kinda pathetic. He obviously did how the kind of pyrotechnic training thay I've received from years of campouts with my boys Chad, Matt and Braize! So I decided to help him out by grabbing my Axe can and a lighter and torched them for him! I think he felt better! Haha. No worries, Mom, we were outside.  

That was last week, and now it’s this week and I got a new comp, and I’m staying in La Islita. Elder Nash is from New York and obviously with changes everyone’s a little anxious and nervous for what’s going to happen, but when I saw my district and comp I felt really good. I’m really optimistic for this change and all the work that Elder Nash and I are going to do here. I’m a little sad to have another English speaker but I know that I have to just be patient, but I know that God has things that He wants me to learn that are more important than Spanish and am super excited to work here.

Tough loss for the Broncos! That’s the kind of depressing news that I don’t miss. I

love you Mom. See you next week when I'm 19!

Love,

Elder Walker