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
