Transfers Already?

Week have seen major progress in our area and in some of our investigators this week. I love Villa Rica. I love my pension. I love my companion. I love the people here and like always the work. We have various investigators progressing and a couple that I know will get baptized. We have been working hard and saw some fruits this week which is always nice. However, ironically like you said it’s time for transfers again. Hard to believe it's time for transfers already. Not sure what is going to happen but I’m ready for what the Lord wants.

I finished Elder Grandstaffs training this week too. He is a great Elder. As I have trained him and in a weird way I think I understand how hard it is to be a parent. Our trainers like the mission jargon goes are our dads and in a way it is true. I worry that I was able to prepare him for the mission. But I have faith and I know that Elder Grandstaff is ready for anything. He is a hard, humble worker. He is obedient. I was lucky to have this time with him. President always says that whatever happens in transfers, it’s not his fault. He has to do what the Spirit tells him to do. I always joke with him that no matter what happens, it is his fault. He’s a funny guy and I love him.

We had a sweet week. Well on Tuesday we had one lesson the whole day. It was depressing. It was one of those days where you get back to the room and you aren’t satisfied with what you did. Accepting the agency of the people but not happy with what you did. I have been here for a little bit and some times you can get caught up in the same stuff being in the same area for so long. Like ohh no I know that house or person and they don’t what to talk. So that night I decided to go all out and we have had a sick week. We have 3 investigators that went to church and who are progressing to be baptized. Actually four but one that couldn’t go to church. Two guys that are 20 named Alex and Edson. They are sweet and I know that they will get baptized. Then two other investigators are Arcinia and Elena who need to get married but who are progressing. It has been a cool week. We ended up having a lot of lessons. 

I don't know why but I feel like I’m going to leave though. Ironically, just because we have so much going for us right now. We will see though. I don't want to leave but then I do at the same time. I love everything here but I just think it would be better in a lot of ways for me to go. But we will see.

We have seen some parades around here too as well. Tomorrow is Peru’s independence day and the parties have already started. There are quite a few people actually here in Villa Rica for the celebration. It is an exciting time to be here in Peru. But at the same time apparently a lot of the big parties for the actual 28th only really happen in Lima, but we will see that tomorrow as well. 

Love you guys! Here is pic with my favorite Mexicano aka Elder Garcia. He is one of those missionaries everyone hates because he speaks Spanish and English perfectly since he grew up in San Diego. Cool guy.

Love you all. We shall see where I will be next week!

Elder Walker

Another week in the jungle

I’m glad Grandma is finally moved in and doing well. She sent me a letter, and it sounds like she is super happy to be there. And since she is happy I'm happy. It’s weird that Sam is leaving on the mish this week. And it’s kinda weird that he is leaving right before everyone else gets home. That would be so hard though to be home and have a your mission call when all of your friends come home. I’m happy for him too. 

The Pendleton boys are funny. but I will admit I am looking forward to a beach trip in Cali next summer. It’s also nice to know that they haven't forgotten about me yet and that at least one thing can be the same when we (Marc and I) get home-- family fun on the beach. Miss them.

One thing that I don't like about our mission is that fact we are soooo far from a temple. We don't get to go even one time in 2 years. Just in the CCM. I’m glad you were able to go this last week. Mom, Heavenly Father does want you to be calm so DON’T WORRY! haha. love you!

We are working a lot right now with new investigators menos activos and strengthening the ward leaders. Our bishop is stepping up in the ward and we are getting some help from other ward leaders. We had our Ward Conference this week and so our stake president came down with some other stake leaders. Hermana Helly, my pension from La Merced is the Relief Society President, so she was there and it was cool to see her. The stake president, President Diez, gave a talk in sacrament meeting about faith and then gave the second hour class about temples. He is cool and a super good speaker. 

Like I said though we are working a lot with the leaders of the ward. The church is different here. Our young men’s president hasn't gone to church for a month and a half. Our elders quorum president was an RM but he left to Huancayo to study so now we don’t have one. Our Bishop continues to work on Sundays even though he has improved in a lot of ways. We want to strengthen the priesthood here and we are planning a little training to teach people how to do simple priesthood blessings because we get asked so much for health blessings even when there is someone with the Melchizedek priesthood. 

We found a sweet new investigator this week named Etso who is the friend of a less active RM. Naturally we are working with both of them, but Etso is super cool guy who left his family in Lima to work in Villa Rica. He is 21 and a mechanic. We shared the restoration with him and has already gone to church. I love sharing the Restoration with people and testifying about the Book of Mormon. If nothing else I know that the Bom is true, and I love sharing it boldly and without fear to the people here. I like the quote on my calendar because Holland explains how I feel when he said, I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world … that the Book of Mormon is true. I love the BoM. I’m almost done with it in Spanish.

We are in La Merced for a P day de Zona right now. Transfers are next week, and it is more likely that I’ll go, but we will see. We also had interviews with President Henderson this last week and they went great. Pres is a funny guy. It is interesting when Elder Waddell from the Seventy came he told us that missionaries are assigned to their missions a lot of times for the mission president and his wife. I feel like that is true for me. I know I am suppose to be here in the Peru Huancayo mission with the Hendersons.

LOVE YOU!

Elder Walker

Week 52!

This last week has gone by really fast. One year in the mission!!! I was super sick Wednesday and wanted to die. On Wednesday I took 16 advil which I’m not sure is not healthy. I wanted to go to the doctor but the made me wait till Thursday because we were going to be in La Merced for interviews with President. (Pres is a doctor.) But then the interviews got canceled. Luckily, however, on Thursday my throat got a lot better and just eating hurt. Then Friday less pain until today, and I actually feel all the way better.

I had a big letter to write about what I learned about a great change of heart but not sure I have time now. I’m good though this week was great. On Saturday we went to Oxapampa and had a Zone conference there. It was good we talked about convenios and the convenios we made as missionaries. Afterwards we went to the best restaurant in the mission called Italo’s. And we atesome super good BQQ cooked meat, and I felt well enough to eat it. I sent a picture of me with Elder Christensen, my zone leader, who is going home this transfer. He is the exact middle child of 15 kids. Pretty crazy. Super good friend.


The work is going well. We are working hard. But I am out of time. Next week I think I am going to write my email out before, so I can say everything I want to like the days. Hey send me some pictures of everything. You guys. Gma. The house. Camron. Chloe. Marc. Anna. Brody. 

Love you all! We had the first counselor to our mission pres. come down to Villa Rica this week. He talked about a celestial marriage because a lot of families are having problems in my ward. Made me so thankful for my family! Love you guys. 

Elder Walker

Still Need My Mom when I'm Sick

Hey!

Super cool seeing Marc and my old comp! haha. That sounds super cool. I can’t believe he is with another gringo companion that is literally insane. Cool seeing the other pics as well. No mom I had no idea that Gpa Bud and Gma Leslie moved into another house so that’s new. And hearing about the Mare and Jeff moving is super weird. I don’t like it. Everything is going to be so different. 

I’m good. We had a good week. My throat is killing me though. I don’t have a cold. I haven’t lost my voice either. But my throat hurts like crazy! I haven’t been able to sleep the last two nights. I can’t swallow my own spit. I spit into a bottle at night. And during the day I just spit on the ground cause it hurts so bad to swallow. I have a fever. I’ve had it for three days now. I have white pus sores on my tonsils. They have me taking amoxicillin because they think it’s strep. You tell me, does it sound like strep? If it is strep is amoxicilin all I need?

I started on the meds yesterday at about this time. I’m taking 1 pill every 8 hours. Does that sound like the right dose. I’ve taken three pills, and I don’t feel better at all. I can hardly eat and couldn’t at all yesterday when my Pension made normal food. She made me a hamburger for the 4th of July, so I had to eat it but it was hard to enjoy it.

I just sent you some pics! This week was good. We had quite a few people come to church and it seems like the cosecha or harvest is coming to a close here in Villa Rica so more people will start coming to church. Despite the people coming to church though we still lack a progressing investigator. Mainly because people need to repent and get married. 

I funny story this week. We started teaching an investigator named Cesar. He is 24 years old and works at a liquor and cigarette store. He is a super nice guy though and interested in our message. His stepdad is actually a member in Lima. Anyways we pass by the store a couple of days ago to talk. We went in and started to talk to him when a client walks in and Cesars had to go to attend him. Standing there with my companion I notice a thin line of white powder on the sale counter. I studied it for a while then turned to E Grand and told him, “Hey that looks a lot like a line of cocaine ready to snort.” I smell it and took a lick (Ha! no just kidding! I didn’t. Gosh, Mom). Then Cesar came back so I asked him what it was. And he’s like yeah it’s cocaine! Ha! It helps you get to the next world faster. Good news he doesn’t do drugs. Bad news he is a drug dealer. But that is kind of the good news too. Teaching a drug dealer pretty sweet. Repentence is real. The Atonement is real. Welcome to the jungles of Peru. Cool guy though.

The forth was fun. My pension had a 4th of July party for us. She is so awesome. I love her so much. I sent pictures. EE UU means United States. (I’m a little sick in these pictures.) This week I have been thinking a lot about a true cambio de corazon or a change of heart. Interesting. I’ve read in Mosiah 5 and Alma 5. 

Got to go. Love you lots. My throat hurts........ :(

Elder Walker

With an investigator's monkey on the 4th