First off, I have little time due to doing so many informes and writing president. I also having gotten my package yet but I have been to the office in a while. Soo thanks so much! Do I open my "Christmas Package" right now or do I wait? I also sent a letter to Chloe, and she didn't write me back. Nor did Joe. But tell Chloe I'm sorry. Maybe she's not even reading my letters.
The last couple of weeks have been super crazy. There are 16 people in our zone still, but what happened is that the area of Hermanas here in Peñaloza closed and one area in Pampas opened. There are 4 Hermanas in the zone. But here in Peñaloza, we are the only missionaries. It is like double the work load with all of the other stuff we have to do as zone leaders. It has been hard, but we are managing. We had a baptism of an investigator of the Hnas named Jimena who is 13 last week. And we are teaching a lot of other people. We are struggling right now though finding investigators who come to church and progress. The work has been hard but we are still working hard.
Get this tomorrow we have consejo de lideres on Thursday, we have a multi zone pday on Friday, we have the multi zone training, and on Saturday we will do our zone meeting. Then we have pday and next Tuesday we are in Huancavelica. We will be super busy! Such little time to work our giant area too. It's kind of stressful.
If there is one thing I have learned over the last couple of weeks, it is forgiveness. I made a list, and I have to forgive. And I need to forgive myself. Anyways lots of stuff. It is sooo hard to forgive and sometimes it seems impossible to forget. I know I have to do it because like it says in True to the Faith, "You will find that forgiveness can heal terrible wounds, replacing the poison of contention and hatred with peace and love that only God can give." In other words peace and love is impossible without forgiveness. If we choose not to forgive, it is like refusing to take the antidote to a toxic poison. We will not be able to progress spiritually temporally and we will certainly not be able to be happy.
I was studying a lot the story of Joseph (ironic the name, I know) when his brothers sold him into Egypt for 20 pieces of silver. Come to find out it is not just a cool Tuachan play, but it is also a sweet story in the Bible that teaches the principal of forgiveness. Because their father, Jacob or Israel, loved Joseph more and gave him a cloak of many colors the brothers of Joseph got mad and wanted to kill him, but decided to sell him the the Egyptians. We all know how Joseph with the help of the Lord prospered greatly. We also know that Joseph received revelation about the 7 prosperous years and the 7 years of famine in the land. 2 years into the famine the sons of Jacob come to Egypt searching for food and they meet up with their long lost brother Joseph. Now I cannot imagine how Joseph must have felt, and I have no idea how he was able to forgive his brothers. After making them get his brother Benjamin and revealing himself he says,
Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. He forgave them and consoled them. Later it says in chapter 50
16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
I strive to be more like Joseph. More humble and accepting looking for the good in a bad situation. He could have condemned his brethren, but he didn't. I have to do the same.
Christ is the perfect example when he was dying and said forgive them for they know not what they do.
Out of time. I could go on but can't. I love you all! I miss all of you. Hey Mom I want to ask you for more money knowing that you already sent me some and a package. I want to buy things here in Huancayo before I go home. Thanks. Love you all!
Elder Walker
