Hi,
First off, I have received no packages or letters, not one, but it’s okay. I guess there is a mail strike, and hopefully it will be over soon. Right now we are teaching a few families and different investigators. Fun fact I learned that what my companion and I have been doing here in Cerro (we both came together to a new area) is called opening an area. haha. Seems silly, but I didn’t know. As far as the altitude (everyone always asks about it), I got a little winded at first and when I went to Lima for my visa and came back in two days I got a killer headache, but compared to most the altitude has never been a problem. It think because of my swimmer lungs. haha. Also I eat caldo de gallina (rooster) every day not pollo. It’s good and I drink a lot of anise tea.
We are working with a lot of families, and we had one family of 4 come to General Conference. And wow General Conference is the best on the mission, especially without all of the distractions that I had at home. A few of the talks I liked were Uchtdorf’s Priesthood Session talk—Lord is it I? What a powerful question and invitation to look inside ourselves. Also, Bednar’s talk was perfect for nonmembers and will be a mormon message someday. I will refrain from saying every talk and point I liked because I would write a list of almost every talk.
But conference though was seriously amazing. I also loved Uchtdorfs other talk about the universe and the line that finding spiritual truth requires using spiritual tools. My favorite was of course Holland’s. Not just because it is Holland (and he’s my favorite) but also because he answered my doubts and questions of how I, just one missionary, who doesn’t know Spanish can accomplish anything of any consequence here among the people in Peru.
I liked how he talked about helping the poor and poor in spirit and specifically doing our part, whatever or however small that may be. He told the story about Mary buying expensive oil for Jesus and getting criticized for it. Of this Jesus questions the criticisms and says she hath done what she could. I sometimes feel like the other woman he told about who literally makes no statistical difference in her work and is said to be a single drop in the ocean, but she does it anyway.
I liked that because a lot of times I feel like I'm not really making a difference here in Peru or Cerro, but Jesus teaches us that it is enough to do what we can and that every drop in the ocean is important. That’s what I'm doing here—doing only what I can with the hope and faith that God will make me more and better than I am. And maybe statistically I will make a difference of zero on my mission, but this isn't a gospel of statistics. It’s a gospel of one drop in the ocean and of one changed life, even if like Elder Holland says in another one of his talks that one life is my own.
I love you all. Have a great week.
Elder Walker
