Week 57

Querida familia,

Helloowwwuuuu.  Buenos Dias from Lima Peru.  Merry Thanksgiving to all this week, I will be enjoying a nice chicken rice and potato dinner.  Feliz Cumpleaños to Craigy.  Same day I turned 13 months :)

It's weird being old now.  The time passes by super fast.  In the moment, it seems like forever, but when it's over, I just think wo!  I can't even remember what I just did an hour ago.

My companion is still super lazy, but hes a cool guy and I'm enjoying my time with him.  Funny but sad story.  We programmed a sweet Family Home Evening activity with an inactive family.  They were telling us they'd prepare all this yummy food and stuff to do.  The day comes, and and my companion and I have prepared a nice message and some sweet games with a giant Godzilla as the prize.  We show up at the house ready to knock and just hear loud reggae music.  Uh oh.  Look inside and the family already started their own family home evening without us.  The entire family was drinking and partying inside.  My compy and I just look at each other- Ummm....  Do we knock? I don't know, you knock!  My hands are full!  Fine... I'll knock...  But they never answered.  Surprise.  

If you guys haven't seen it, you should watch the video on youtube about the Mormon Message - armor of God.  As the scripture says in Efesios 6:13, In this world we don't fight against flesh and blood, but against principalities, society, and the opposition of evil spirits.  I was pained all week for that family and wondered just how it is they got to where they're at.  We've got to be ready for everything and anything.  The moment we let our guard down- FAH!!!  Satan strikes like a cobra- PSSS!!  And we're wounded and infected.  You all have to put on the armor of God.  Read your scriptures, pray everyday.  But always wear your shield of faith.  A shield big enough to rebound any blow that comes at you.  It's stupid how easy some people forget who they are.  Be proud of who you are.  Don't let anybody, thing, or temptation take away your faith and the special unique person that God made you.

Ok I think I'm done ranting haha.  Sorry about that.  But in good news,  this week was the wedding!  AHHHHH!!!  It was tho gorgeous.  It was in the offices with President, and my awesome family, familia Luis and Yovana Soto-Lara, got married.  Yovana will be baptized this Saturday with her daughter and Luis the 13th of December.  They're future leaders of the church, I just know it.

Wow I have written WAY too much.  Have fun reading all that fun stuff.  Hasta la proxima semana!  Hasta la pasta!  Pasta Lasaña!!  (Hasta Mañana LOL)

Con Amor y besitos,

Elder Walker

 

Photos:  teaching brother Soto Lara how to tie a tie

wedding!!!! ahhhh!

cake fight!!

district baptism

ice cream, come n get it kids

 

 

Week 55

Querida familia,

Yup it's officially summer here.  Time to bring out the Christmas lights and fans.  I remember my last summer here, besides being super trunky and lost, it was miserably hot.  Climbing hills, teaching, walking, dying.  Bring it on. One of the greatest inventions of America?  Air conditioning.  I haven't seen that since I got here.  Lol I remember the only air conditioning in my first area was the bishops office in the church, so we'd always break in just to cool off in his office and drink his Inca kola.  Any door in the church here can be opened with a broom if you're a tall gringo. ;)

With a trunky companion, I have a lot more personal study time (for those of you who know what I mean).  I've learned A LOT already and have also taken Dad's advice to read Jesus the Christ.  I got tired of studying Lehi's dream. ;)  Lol nah I'm still obedient don't worry mommy.  My companion super chill and does whatever I tell him.  Just that he won't do a single thing by himself.  He's a cool guy, but doesn't show emotion.  And even though he tries to act in front of everybody that he's tough, I know inside he has a heart of gold. :)  Sometimes I catch him humming songs or playing with children.  One time I could of sworn he was humming Katy Perry...

With investigators, I'll finally be marrying and baptizing a complete family this week!!  The marriage will be Friday, and, well the baptism will be next week because they had faena.  There's something here called faena and its Satan's numero 1 instrumento to keep investigators from going to church.  Because many people live in hills here, they have some sort of legal contract to build a staircase every other Sunday at 9 in the morning.  Pretty sure it should be illegal.  And it's just in time of church.  But anyways!  I'm super happy and excited for my little family. :D  Their names are Yovana, Luis, y ¨Paloma.  And other than that we have 2 snakes- I mean teenagers who will also be baptized this month. :)

There was one moment thuper scury this week as we were climbing the hill to my snake- I mean investigator's house.  Just as we arrived near the tippy top- BWAHHH!!!  The whole hill began to shake and everyone was going loco.  I honestly thought it was an earthquake and said my last prayer.  But it turned out just to be a super temblor.  But I watched it as it went through the whole city and shook the lights.  The whole city was barking and beeping.  I really hope you guys get to see one of these when you come.

Well Happy Hanukah or whatever holiday it is your celebrating back home.  I'll be sending Xmas letters to as many as I can, so if anybody would like a letter from good ol Elder Quaker, send me your name and Ill send one to home base for you. :D   I love you all, miss you all, and ya you know the rest.

Con Amor,

Elder Walker

Life is like a box of chambones...

Querida familia,

Well, the trunkyness is over.  A new change has come and gone and back to work.  But change is good right?  We said goodbye to Elder Forward and my son Elder Ramirez, and I thought that was that.  I also thought, "Ya know, its a new year and a new chance to work even harder.  Time to cut any slacking off and work 100% obedient with my new companion."  President announced the changes, "And Elder Walker will be working with... Elder Sosa!!!"  Elder who?  Salsa?  WAit... NOoooooOOO!!!!!!!   AHhhhaHHHh  THe last thing I wanted to do to start off my last year was babysit!  Haha.  ah.  I knew from the first moment that he was a chambon and that I would be babysitting for a whole change.

So ever since Tuesday that's exactly what I've been doing haha.  Elder Sosa is actually a really cool guy, and I enjoy my time with him.Hes from Quito Ecuador and a super futbolista.  Hes19 years old and has 10 months in the mish but one could say he's already finished haha.   He's always joking around and doing who knows what.  But that also means he's not focusing on the work.  And if he's not, who is?  Oh ya.  Elder Quaker.    But I do have a bit of happiness knowing that I'm the District Leader and have more time, so I can still take charge without problem.

So ya that's this week and you can expect the same for 5 more weeks haha.  We also moved houses this week.  I was sick of my old house and thought we were winning by moving.  But once all  the stuff was moved in and finally rearranged, I realized it was3 times as small as my last apartment.  Plus no signal plus questionable electricity and water plus cockaroaches plus chickens cockadiddling all night long.  Ya to save time I'll stop there.  Terrible idea haha, plus the members are constantly trying to talk to us.  Get me out of here!!!!!  Nope I've already payed for the whole month.  Great.  Well, that's the joys of the mission. :)

More adventures to come next week.  Don't worry about good ol Elder Wafer, he·ll make it out alive.  Just send as many prayers, letters, packages, and love as possible before Christmas!! ;)  I'll write ALL of you back!!

As we say in the district Las Lomaximas,

Love you BYEeeeeEE!!

Con Amor,

Elder Walker

 

Photos:

Another CCM friend

Untamed llama tried to eat me

My new compy, Elder Thotha!!!

Goodbye Elder Forward y familia

Goodbye my beloved son

Goodbye hug

Here we go again

Querido familia,

As I am low on time (surprise) this will be a short letter.  But it's ok because nothing happened this week other than being trunky, trunking out a little more, and finishing the week with trunkyness.

LOL.

Its not my fault though...  Elder Forward all week has been non stop telling me what he's going to do the week he gets home.  And without announcement, he brought his family to church yesterday for his farewell at church.  It was a very spiritual meeting, as members and many of his converts from all across Peru came to hear him talk.  And I'm not gunna lie, but during the prayer as I sat next to his family, it all just hit me and I lost it haha.  I balled thinking about sitting next to you guys in a year.  But it gave me a renewed attitude to work harder for this last year.  I still hope I can make you all proud.

Mommy thanks for the package!!  I loved the letters from all my friends, but I still didn't get sister Swaffords jokes hahaha.  But I loved all the support and the pictures especially.  My companion was super happy to have a pair of pants.  My son didn't bring hardly anything with him....  But now he can play football in something other than jeans x).

This month we will always be marrying and baptizing a family so I REALLY hope they don't change me.  That's right changes are today.....  wooo  tune in next week for results!!!!!

Con Amor,

Elder Walker

 

Pictures:
 There were some kittys abandoned outside of where we play football on Saturdays.... the Lord gave them a home :)

 Elder Forwards Farewell bonfire.  2 shirts were sacrificed that day, his n mine.

Uh oh 1 Yearrrrrrrr the burning of the shirts; on fire 

 Awesome package, thanks mommy.  Me in my broken bed.  supposed to be on top of the wood.

A family baptism in my district

Elder Forwards family came to church....