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

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