I'm so glad when Daddy comes home

*Last post was June 9th's letter.  This is June 16th's letter.
*I had to make so many corrections.  I think he either has a sad key board or he has totally forgotten his English!  Sorry it has take so long to get these out.  Write him a letter!  I'll even pay the postage-bring it by.
Mama Walker

Querido familia,

First, Feliz dia de Papicitos!!!  Happy daddy's day!  Sounds like you had an amazing Fathers day.  I'd trade anything for a 4 hour nap too.  My gift to you this Father's Day is the baptism of 2 souls.:)  It will be a little delayed as the baptisms will actually take place in July...  but we took out the fecha yesterday. :)  So there ya go.
This Daddy's Day was also a special day, as I hope we all also remembered our Heavenly Father on Father's Day.  He's our Father Spiritually, and I wish him a happy daddy's day. :D

The Apostle Dallin H Oaks also came to the mission and talked this Saturday.  I love meeting Apostles in person, I don't feel more closer to Christ than with his own Apostles!!  His talk was powerful and chastised me spiritually.  I found many answers than I'm looking for.  I also learned why God gave us a sense of humor.  "When we're sad, we shouldn't cry, but laugh!  That's why God gave us a sense of humor.  If he didn't, what would we do when we see a giraffe?"  Hahaaaa that surprised me coming form an apostle.

In other news, Its WORLD CUP here in Perú!!!!  WOOoo! For those who don't know what the world cup is, its like the super bowl but for soccer. I never was interested in soccer 'till I came to the mission, its the best!  Soccer is 10 times better than any other lame sport we play in America.  Not that I watch the matches, cuz I'm working duhh.  But its a great missionary tool to know the scores, players, who won, how they made the goal, etc.  We got in many doors talking about the World Cup, and the people trust us more when we have something in common.  Peru didn't even qualify to enter the world cup though haha, which was sad.  Or Bolivia, sorry Craig.  We have made it to World Cup for over 30 years haha no pasa nada con Peru.  But its also a little more dangerous at night.  The number of drunks in the street has doubled.  But I take it more as an opportunity to preach the Word of Wisdom more.

Other things that happened this week, I got a pedicure for my birthday.  Don't judge me, but it was amazing.  As missionaries, you walk all day.  So a pedicure made my feet look beautiful, feel amazing and soft as a baby!  Just what I wanted. Our shower also broke this week, so we're back to freezing cold water again.  Plus it's winter here, which doesn't help.  A bus we were in also hit a dude and sent him flying.  But then he stood up like nothing happened and kept walking.  That was funny.

Id like to apologize for not writing very good letters the last few weeks.  My internet time has been cut short every week because of things my companion has done.  So I'm always trying to write as many people as I can, but there's never time. :(  BUT you should all know that I haven't forgotten about you and still love you all. :)  Stay faithful to God, and have a good week!

Con Amor,
Elder Walker

The Real Message

My Dear familia,

To be honest, I'm not sure where to start.  Well lets just get my birthday out of the way- we didn't do anything.  Yap.  That's the mission.  We did have some great lessons though. :D

But speaking of lessons, God answered our prayers this week.  We've been looking hard for new people to teach and we suddenly found several new people this week!  But the best is a woman named Ruth who's 31 years old and searched her whole life for the truth.  Shes the most loving person Ive ever met in my life and were already best friends! :D  Shes been prepared by God her whole life and shes been through so many distinct experiences, wanting to know what God really wants for her.  Its hard to explain through email, but shes AWESOME!!  People like her restore our faith as missionaries lol.  She already has a baptismal date, but of course Satan has her working Sundays, so she has to ask her boss off, though hes the kind of boss that never lets people have Sundays off.  So if you guys have a little extra time and faith, please add her in your prayers that her boss will let her take enough time off Sundays to go to Church. :)  Shes suffered a lot in her life, but she knows this is what she wants, and makes me happy more than anything seeing her happy with the Gospel.

Sorry I don't have much to say this week.  All we did was a lot of service and lessons and more service.  But there's no other way Id rather have it.  Was kind of hard having a birthday out here in Peru without the people who actually know me.  But I love these people and am glad for the experience.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes, letters, hugs n kisses, n everything!  It really helps in the little ways.  One more year and Ill be a man ;)  Its weird thinking what I was doing every birthday ago, how people change, and how the world changes.  I guess the people that really matter are those that have been there every year.  Others come and go, not sure why we don't talk anymore.  I love people and being friends, and still worry about people I haven't seen for years.  But I guess we all find our own purpose in life and what makes us happy.  One things for sure, we do all have a purpose in life, and there's always somebody that loves us.  Even if its just our Father in Heavenly who has to carry us when we have nothing. 

I love you all and miss you all like crazy.  Know I'm always here for all of you and love hearing from any of you.  Till then, this nineteeners gotta get back to work.  Keep killin' it and have a great week!!

Elder Walker


PS mom I did get the package but not the letter.  Definitely the coolest package Ive ever seen.  I loved the photos, a little too trunky for me to handle haha.  The shirts, thank you!!!  Made me so happy and feel at home again.  And  tell everyone thanks for the letters, Tyler for the sweet USB full of sweet spiritual stuff, and candy!  Not sure what to do with this hat tho.....

Happy Birthday to . . . me?

Querido familia,

duh dut, duh dum dum dum!
Cumpleaños feliz, me deseo a mi!  Cumpleaños feliiizesssss, cumpleaños feliz!  Yrrrrrrrrayayayayaya!

Well, if you hadn't heard the news, its someone specials birthday this week, ahhhhh!!  Its my companion's birthday!!!  Hahaaaa oh ya and I guess mine is too this week.  That's how all the members here say it hahaha, they say "Elder Pizarro Happy birthday!!!!  Oh... and Elder Walker too!"  Hes been here for 6 months so he steals all my work and glory lol.  But to be honest birthdays don't exist in the mission.  Ill still be working that day.  But if I'm lucky, maybe Ill treat myself to an extra 30 minutes of sleep ;)

My biggest birthday treat was the baptism of Lorena de la Cruz.  We had a final lesson this week with her family right before her baptism, where her mom tried to convince her not to do it.  She testified one last time that she knows what shes doing and that she knows the church is true.  She desires nothing more than to follow Christ and wishes her mom would do the same.  After that her mom didn't have anything bad to say and was actually happy.  This Saturday was her baptism and was our most beautiful baptism yet.  Ill never forget watching her come out of the water and seeing her face.  I like to take before and after pictures of baptisms, and when they come out of the font, its like they're a completely different person.  The baptism was such a joy for me.  As missionaries, the work gets very frustrating.  But everything pieces together and your joy is full the moment you see investigators enter a baptismal font.  Its like a breath of fresh air till the next one.

The example she gave for her family also changed everything in the family.  Her mom is now completing commitments and I believe soon she too will be baptized.  So if you have an extra few seconds, add her family in your prayers.

Well, Id love to bore you all with what Ive learned this week or what my real birthday plans are, but I'm out of time haha.  But I promise to fill you all in next week, so stay tuned!!  Till then, toodloo!  Happy birthday to me!  And a Merry Christmas to you!

Con Amor,