Pressing On

Fam!

It's super crazy that like you said another transfer has gone by and that I have only 10 months left on the mission. 10 months! haha That's two hands! haha. I'm not homesick though just think it's funny. I'm not sure what will happen for transfers next week but we will see.

This last week we had to learn by fire about how to use the baptismal font. What happened is we had a baptism this last Saturday. Maycol (pronounced like Michael) a super cool 21 year old was going to get baptized. We found him at the start of this transfer he was actually a reference (references are 1000000000000 percent more likely to progress so help the missionaries out Mom), and it was super cool to see him progress and be ready for baptism. So we had a baptism for this last Saturday and went to fill up the pila bautismal, but we didn't have water, so we had to cancel the baptism. Some days they just turn off the water in this city. Then we planned it for Sunday in the morning, but we didn't have water then either, so now we have the baptism scheduled for this coming Saturday. It was our own dumb mistake, but still I have found that almost before every baptism I have had in the mission something has gone wrong. It is like Satan knows and makes a final push to stop good. It is like Holland said that before every important decision or moment in our lives there is often adversity, and it was the same for Joseph Smith when he received the first vision. 

It is weird to be away from home for so long. It is also weird to be away from Chloe for 3 years and Marcus for so long. Something weird has happened on my mission. My joke use to be that yeah I miss Marcus, but he is always just a mirror away. Sometimes I’d even psych myself out when I walked past a mirror or a window and see my reflection and I would be like it’s Marc, wait a minute, ohhh now never mind. But now when I look into the mirror I see a different person. I have changed a lot on the mission. A lot spiritually, but even physically. 

Having a little time left on the mission is kind of hard. Ironically, I don't know why, but I find thoughts of home slipping into my thoughts. I thought that after a year the mission would just be a piece of cake but it hasn't been. I know that I have to give it my all and that only on the flight home I can rest. I recently finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish. It was a cool experience. This time reading it through I noticed a lot and leaned a lot of news things. But what stood out to me were the examples of Nephi and Lehi, the sons of Helaman. They were excellent missionaries and one of the best companionships of all times. Some of the Lords words to Nephi when times were hard for him are a reminder to me of what I have to do on the mission. 

Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

I want to the Lord to say Blessed art thou, Nicholas, (who my name is weird now) but I want to not fear and to do all I can to do what the Lord wants. I love this part of the BoM. The promise from God is clear that if we do his will he will bless us forever. He will change us. He will make us more like His Son. 

This week will be better. Maycol will get baptized and actually today we are moving into a new room because the one we are in now said that the missionaries have lived there too long. Love you Mom! All is well!

Elder Walker

Torre Torre and Bautismo

Fam!

I'm doing great. It has been a crazy week. I had my first zone meeting which was crazy, we did divisions in Pampas, and we had two baptisms this week (Beatriz and Karen). First off, the zone meeting was crazy because we had the interview for the Hna Beatriz. Long story short we sent Hna Beatriz and one of the hermanas from our zone to the office of president, so we thought it was fine. But then we got a call to go to the office to call, more like an order. So we had to leave the zone and go to the office. We got back like an hour later, and the zone was tired and grumpy and we had to cut our training. It went ok. I was a little nervous and felt like my comp and I weren’t on the same page. I hate being cliche with the trainings, as well. It stinks because we cant do like a power point or anything. I want to plan the next one better. Any ideas? I want it NOT to be boring, and maybe do something active, like hands on training or practice.

Beatriz and Karen. First the photo below, I made the mistake of not inviting someone else to stand in the photo (I have been careful Chloe). As a result it might look like a double date, but I promise that that wasn't the case. They are real converts. This foto also turned out the best, so I wanted you to have it. There names are Beatriz and Karen. They are a family of 10. Those two are the oldest siblings of 8 children 6 girls 2 boys. They have 3 sisters who are already members. Right now we are working with the parents Fernando and Rosa. They are a super cool family. I am a little scared to talk more about them though just because it seems like whenever I tell you about someone they stop progressing. But they are super cool. They parents yesterday accepted a baptism date for the end of Sept.  They are super sweet. In Beatriz I saw how much the gospel has changed her life and how much happiness repentance truly gives us. And Karen the younger one (18) wants to serve a mission.

Moving on, divisions went well. HEY MOM, I need more money. Now that I'm in huancayo I don't need packages because I can pretty much just buy anything I want. For example, they sell Tabasco sauce. How great is that! But, please just put more money in my account. And 2 hey I want to see some pics of you guys! I’m sending a bunch to you, and thanks for the one of Marc. But send me some. 

LOVE YOU! 

I saw the pics of Kaleb and his parents in Japan. CRAZY! 

Last Pday we hiked to a place called Torre Torre

Quick Hey

Hi,

It has been a good week. I want to write Marcus this week, so this is gonna be short. I had my first consejo de lideres last Tuesday, and it was super cool. I was nervous, but it was all for nothing. It was relaxed and fun, and I learned a lot. This week we have been working hard and we have two investigators with a date for this Friday, but one has to have an interview with president first. We will know tomorrow. They are Beatriz and Karen. Two sisters whose sisters and other relatives are members. There are super cool and ready. The have been listening to the missionaries for more than 6 months. Tomorrow we will also have our zone meeting. My first so I'm a little nervous. 

Love you all,

Elder Walker

Huancayo!

It has been a crazy week Mom! First off its crazy awesome that Hermana Johnson wrote you and yes she was right I’m in Peñaloza here in Huancayo what she didn’t say is that I’m here serving as a zone leader. 

Last Monday Elder Grandstaff and I went out for P day and went shopping and bought some ice cream. We went back to the room and he was actually coping some photos to his USB on our little DVD player when I passed out on my bed. I woke up to the phone ringing to see President’s name appear on the screen. I panicked a bit. I answered and President asked me to be a zone leader. I asked him if he was sure and he said well yeah elder walker you’re obedient, hardworking, etc. The point is is that I was caught completely off guard. It was and still is hard to believe. Not that being a zone leader means I’m cool or anything (obviously I’m not), it’s just it is a responsibility I didn't think I was going to have so soon in the mission and without being a district leader or anything. 

On Tuesday and Wednesday I said goodbye to everyone in Villa Rica. It was super sad. I had to say goodbye not only to Villa Rica, friends, converts, and my companion but to the entire jungle as well. I miss it. I already miss the green, the heat, and the humidity—crazy but I like the humidity. (My lips are killing me now and my skin just feels weird and dry. My lips are peeling). Elder Grandstaff stayed in Villa Rica and Elder Pizarro came to replace me. I’ll miss him a lot but it will be good for him to have a latino companion so he has to speak all Spanish.

First off I’m so tired and still haven't unpacked all of my stuff. We have had a lot to do for transfers. In our Zone it includes Pampas (two hours away from Huancayo) and Huancavelica (3 hours away). Then we have 6 Hermanas and two other elderes in our district here in Huancayo. There are four zones in Huancayo ours is called la zona Huancayo. I’ll get to go to Huancavelica though. I remember Camron telling me I’d serve there and that he has a convert from there. My comp is Elder Carhuaricra if you have a hard time saying it, that’s fine because I did too. He is from Lima and is 24. He has 3 months more than me in the mission and only has one transfer here in our area and as a zone leader. Like he told me we will be learning a lot together.

We live about 5 minutes from the mission office. So it’s pretty close—that’s cool. I have a bunch of pictures saying good bye in Villa Rica and a few with my new comp.

Love you,

Elder Walker

Pensionista and her family in Villa Rica

My snakes :) In the mission, girls who follow the missionaries around, stalking them, are sometimes called snakes. Missionaries have to beware of the snakes! However, these are my two snakes, my pensionista's two sweet granddaughters.

Goodbye to E Grandstaff

New comp. Elder Carhuaricra

This is a girl I taught in Cerro. Good to see her baptized :)