What a Week!

Wow!

What a week in the mission! General Conference has been a time of hope and of spiritual rejuvenation when I so desperately needed it. General Conference has been so important to me in my mission. I remember when I first got to the mission field, and the mission really humbled me with the language difficulties, new culture, etc, and Conference was a spiritual lift to my troubled heart. General Conference has also served as landmarks to mark the progress and time in my mission. This last Conference was especially wonderful to me because it will be my last before returning home. There is nothing better than General Conference on the mission!!

     Some of the talks that I really enjoyed were the talk by Elder Renlund and the the last talk by Elder Holland. Elder Renlund talked a little bit about the entitlement that we sometimes feel as the distance increases between us and the giver. I was touch by the example that he used about the Sacrament that was given personally to a Sister that didn't receive it during Sacrament meeting. Individual, personal, just for me: we sometimes miss that aspect of the Atonement in the Sacrament meeting when were in a congregation of 200 people. It was a talk that helper me and was then followed by an amazing number by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir that really touched my heart. The words of Elder Renlund and of the Choir help me come to important conclusions about my 20 months of service; as the choir sang I felt the Spirt so strong that Saturday morning session. Then there’s the talk by Elder Holland! The stage was set so perfectly for him to be the last speaker. His motivation was and is us as latter-day members, and his love for us touched me and made me think that my motivation in my ministry in the mission are my investigators.

Veronica was baptized after the Sunday afternoon session, and it was such a spiritual experience. Her conversion was a miracle as she fought doubt and family members in order to get to the waters of baptism. Her conversions definitely shows to me that this is the true work, and it’s is directed by the Savior himself.

Thanks so much for everything. I love you all.

Elder Walker

PS. Daniel, who I taught in my last area, got baptised with his family last weekend!

Easter

Hi!

Here in Santiago the temperature is changing, it’s starting to get pretty cold in the morning while at the same time, it’s still hot in the afternoon. Winter is coming in the Southern Hemisphere. There was a lot of fog this morning, and I couldn't see more than 20 yards. As the climate changes, we keep working. Last week went by fast and was full of success. We confirmed Ivonne and Emiliano in sacrament meeting and are now getting ready to baptize the sister of Ivonne, Veronica. The gift of the Holy Ghost is so special, and it reminds me of the talk by Elder Bednar about actually receiving the Spirit in our lives. The significant phrase that was said on Sunday, "Receive the Holy Ghost,” is something that we have to do every day of our lives. That’s what keeps missionaries safe, and inspires and converts people to the Gospel.

Even though you can’t really tell because these are just words on a computer screen, I’m more than a little excited to listen to General Conference this week!!! We’re planing on setting up a room to watch conference in Creole (the native language of the Haitians) so that they can enjoy more the messages of the Prophets. It’s incredible to see the missionary work with the Haitians because they are so humble. Something about being a foreigner makes people more humble and open, and we spend a lot of time teaching them. 

At church we had to teach a class in French because a lot don't speak Spanish. Elder Bradley can speaks good French, and so I would say something in Spanish, he would translate it into French and then a Haitian would translate it into Creole. Only in the true church of God does that happen. The message goes beyond language, cultural and other barriers. Like I’ve said before I feel the the Celestial Kingdom is going to be a lot more diverse with many more different cultures and traditions than we sometimes realize in the U.S. 

To finish up, I also learned the another family that I taught in my last area with Elder Moreira, the missionary that I trained from Brazil, got baptized yesterday. I love the mission! Love this work and hope to stay strong for the next 3 months!! 

Elder Walker

PS My companions say thanks for the Easter gifts. Here is a picture of us wearing our Easter ties on Easter Sunday. Love you!

March: A Month of Trials and Miracles

Hello family!

First things first, I haven't gotten any packages, but I could get one this Wednesday because the mail comes that day. 

This last week was a blast. I'm not sick anymore!! I’ve enjoyed the mission more than ever these last few weeks, and I think that it’s something best explained by Elder Bednar. We had a meeting on Tuesday with the whole mission, where I feel like I know fewer and fewer people as more of my friends leave, and Presidente showed us a clip of a devotional with Elder Bednar. He was recently in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay, in a devotional with the youth. A future missionary asked what he could do to prepare for the mission. He said that a lot of missionaries get out to the field and say, "The mission isn't meeting my spiritual needs right now,” or, “I'm so obedient and humble why don't I have more success,” or, “What's wrong with my investigators?” It’s a hard trap not to fall into, and when we think more about me and I instead of the people we’re serving, our chances at peace or happiness go down exponentially. Elder Bednar helped remind me why I’m here and what I’m doing. It was never about me. What we do without modern day prophets!? 

My companions are some of the greatest people I know. Elder Hunter has an incredible work habit and is always trying to do things better. He is focused and determined, and surprisingly he says he was a beach bum before the mission in the sense that he surfed a lot. He’s kind of an interesting combination of super hard worker and laid back at the same time. Then there’s Elder Bradley, he is a smart, witty guy who has us laughing during the day. He studied for a year in Virginia in the small university there supported by the church. He's easy to get along with, and we three have a great time teaching and baptizing. This last week from our balcony we could hear concerts going with bands from the U.S. The stadium/arena is pretty close to our apartment building so we go to hear some of the bands we know. It was an interesting interruption to our day. 

I’m happy to say that Ivonne and her son Emiliano got baptized yesterday.We felt like they were ready and after teaching Ivonne and seeing her diligent study of the scriptures and prayers, we interviewed her. It’s miraculous to see the spirit of understanding work in the people when they open their hearts. Sister B taught us about the difference between having a knowledge about something and understanding it. Understanding comes from an open heart. A good example is Abinadi when he taught the evil king Noah and said,

32 And now, did they understand the law? I say unto you, Nay, they did not all understand the law; and this because of the hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there could not any man be saved except it were through the redemption of God.

Our understanding depends on our ability to open up our hearts. The baptismal service was after church, and a lot of the ward attended. The service went according to plan without any problems, which is a miracle. I’m so grateful to see the miracle of conversion in the mission.

Ready for another week.

Elder Walker

Hey Hey Hey

Well,

This last week was an interesting week of work and record breaking. We broke my personal record of lessons and new investigators found, and were able to bring some of those new investigators to church. We have been teaching a bunch of Haitians, and they are so receptive to the gospel. They almost always let you in to teach. Anyway, we are teaching a Haitian couple the man is named Philip, and he is so great. We found him last week, he speaks more Portuguese than Spanish so it was fun to speak in Portuguese to teach him. I don't speak perfectly, but it’s good enough to be understood. When they went to church on Sunday they loved it! It’s always a little nerve racking to bring an investigator to church for the first time, but it was a success. We got to watch a special Satellite transmission from Salt Lake for all of Chile. President Nelson directed the meeting. Elder Bradley looked at Philip and his wife when Elder Nelson went to talk and said this is an apostle of God...the spirit was so strong. 

We’re also teaching a sister called Ivonne and her sister Veronica. They’re amazing as well, and have listened to us for the past month. I love to teach them because they have a real desire to learn and to try. When we went to teach her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we asked her what she understood from the pamphlet that we left her to read. Her response was perfect. She said that baptism really called her attention, and that she felt the need to get baptized before it was too late to repent. We've been trying our best to turn that desire into faith. She worked a few Sundays, but we’re optimistic about the future and are confident that she’ll get baptized. 

Other than that I got a cold, but I’m getting better now, so no worries. I’m really enjoying being here with Elders Bradley and Hunter! It’s been really entertaining, and we spent most of the day teaching and laughing. It’s not always easy, but it is fun to be a missionary and a lot of that fun depends on how well you get along with you comps. In that respect, t I feel like I’ve been really blessed here on the mission. Thanks so much for all the support. Love you guys lots!

Elder Walker

OCHAGAVIA

Hi all,

Today we had changes, and out of no where we got a new companion!!! His name is Elder Bradley, and he's from Utah. He's a great friend who actually started the mission with me in Talagante. Elder Hunter and I are happy to be in a trio again and to be able to enter any house. It's also great because Elder Bradley speaks French, and in our sector there are a lot of Haitians. In Haiti they speak Creole, which is a French based language. Now we'll be able to communicate better with them. Many of them speak Creole and Portuguese, but not much Spanish.  I've been trying to learn a little Portuguese for a few transfers now. I'm going to try to learn a little French as well, so maybe I'll get back speaking Spanish, French and Portuguese.  haha. I love the mission. Things are great, and I've been learning a lot. Sorry don't have much time. Love you lots! 

Elder Walker

Almost March

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 :)

Chhhhiilleee

Hello world!

Greetings from the southern hemisphere! Things are quite splendid here. I’m happy today, really happy to send you a photo of some converts that got baptized a few weeks ago in my old sector. Remember me talking about them! It’s a special blessing to be an instrument in the conversion process. My son in the mission, Elder Moreira, was able to baptize them and it just made me so happy to see that picture. For some reason, I don't know why, it seems that everyone is ready to get baptized when I leave a sector, but I’m just happy to be a part of the work. 

This last week was a blast full of divisions and contacting. I learned the the humble are the only ones that really learn in the end, and I spent time with the missionaries in the Zone. Every missionary to me is just incredible, and I love getting know them and serving with them. This past week I was with Elder Rocha, he’s a Brazilian missionary that has a grand total of about 15 months in the church. Two years ago he was an atheist and let two missionaries in his house. It’s stories and people like that that keep me going. 

Doris’s fecha fell through :( she had a fight with her mom about religion and getting baptized and then made the decision to slow things down a little bit to think. The problem is we haven't been able to talk to her, but I’m confident that we’re doing everything that we can and that the Lord is content with our work. She's an amazing person, and it makes me sad to see her not get baptized. But I still have hope for her. 

On the bright side, we brought another person to church named Ivon with her son. She has a cousin on a mission and is interested in the church. The best part was last we when we taught her she gave us ICE CREAM. WOW! Nothing makes me more happy on a hot day than teaching and eating ice cream. haha.

In my personal study, I read Moses today. It’s incredible to me how much God knows and loves every child he has. We are numbered, he says, and made in the image of is Only Begotten. Those phrases made me think of the love He has and the power He gives to each and every one of us. So let’s keep working! 

Love,

Elder Walker