Here I Raise my Ebenezer

For the first time in a while, I am writing you, and I have a lot of time to do it. Ironically, now I can't think of very much to say. 

This last week went by fast with consejo de lideres, a multi zone pday, the multi zone training, then our zone meeting. In reality this whole change (half way down) has gone by fast and even this year as I realize we are already in November. My companion and I both get to our room at night exhausted. One doesn't realize what the hermana missionaries do until they're gone. We are great though and have plans to keep working hard and to help the ward. More than anything we need to find more investigators because we don't have anyone that goes to church. We are working with some less actives as well. Jean Carlos and Beatriz continue to be MIA but we were able to talk to them both once. Needless to say that whole situation is so frustrating.

Of all of the trainings and out of everyone that talked my favorite was the Hermana Henderson when she talked to us in consejo de lideres. She has such a strong testimony and without fail I can feel the spirit when she talks. I'm gonna paraphrase a little bit of what she said. 

We first got the lyrics then listened to the song "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" all of the verses and it is an amazing song. I invite you all to listen to it when you have time and to really focus on the words. Afterwards, she asked us what Ebenezer means when is in the song says,

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by thy help I come 
And I hope by thy good pleasure 
Safetly to arrive at home

In Samuel 7 it explains the story. Israel was battling with the Philistenes and the Philistenes were subdued. In verse 10 it reads,

10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

Then later in verse 12 Samuel comes and takes a stone.

 12Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

So Ebenezer means stone of help. The Israelites afterwards touched the stone whenever they need help in their lives. Now we maybe can't walk around with a stone all of the time, but our Ebenezer can be the moments in our lives when we were certain that the church is true or when without a doubt we knew that God help us when times were hard. Hermana Henderson explained that her Ebenezer was when her sister died. She said that in that moment she was sure. I think for me that moment was at Braize's and Kaleb's farewell and at my own farewell as well. I've had moments when I really felt the Spirit strongly. The earliest I can remember was when Grandpa Bob passed away. It also has happened on my mission. My first week in the field in Cerro. These are moments when I knew for sure that the church is true. To many people forget about these moments and lose grasp of their personal Ebenezers. Hermana Henderson said that one of those people who has forgotten is her son who served a mission but who continues to live outside the gospel. We have to hold on to these our Ebenezers like we hold on to the iron rod!

Anyways that is what I wanted to share today. I would love it if you and Dad could listen to this song and then share you Ebenezers with me. I love you. 

Elder Walker

All the missionaries from my CCM group at the consejo. 

For the first time in more than a year I was able to see and talk to my companion, Elder Shreiner, from the CCM. True love.