Wednesday, September 2, 2015

August Emails


























 

Pictures:
Elder Quaker and Elder Torrez
Deivis Jaurez and Giana Franco
Bautismo de Lee
Elder Alvarez and Walker
Elder Forward!!!
Me and Pepa Pig
Love dat bacon
First goldfish in 2 years-thanks EFY
Caught Studying
Baptism of Maria and Diana
Maria
Jejeje-solo por una semana
Mi area
Ran into the efy kids everywhere
Pictures of the night sky for Sasheen Grey
This night is more frequent…orange
Baptism of Ashly
My area
CUI



Disclaimer:  I have stopped correcting his e-mails because I think partly it is the computer trying to type English.  There are NEVER apostrophes. 
I want to thank everyone for the generous donations to Perú.  I am still looking for gently used ties, church sox and sox in general for adults.
August Emails from Ryan
August 3, 2015  Just Keep Swimming
Querida familia,

Easily the hardset week of my mission.  Wow just so much has happened, I cant even start!  I think Ill just say the zone leaders are mad at us, to sum it all up haha.  So many lamanitas (surpirse room checks), work visits, interviews, and missed phone calls over something so silly.

Well it all kind of started when I bought an awesome mini foosball table for our apartment.  In a work visit, my zone leader saw it and even played with it!  Lol, but then after wards told me we had to turn it in.  So thats where all the room checks and work visits started- just to find my awesome foosball table!  They totally just wanted to play with it in their room.  Not really, they were looking to destroy it hahaha.  Pero les saque la piedra porque jamas lo encontraron.

But Elder Torrez and I are working like burros.  We have so many people in our teaching and coming to church, its rediculo!  Yesterday was also the baptism of the jungle family.  Brother Julio 72, Sister Rosa 68, and jheimy 13.  It was bayutiful!!  The most stressful part was that President Erickson showed up out of no where!  He ended up giving a message in my baptism and thoroughly enjoyed the work were doing. :)  I hope...
The best part was the testimonys afterwards. Well, none of them gave their testimony because theyre super shy (as all people from the jungle). But they were crying, and especially the father was balling.  Broke my heart ;..)  Theyre awesome, cant wait till you guys meet them.  They dont talk much, but are golden converts!  Yesterday payed his tithing and everything!!  They hardly have food to eat, yet still pay tithing and have kept all the commandments, even when his friends tempted him to drink.

Bueno, that was my week.  How was yours?  Not many write much more.  Once again, moms the winner being the only one to write.  You only have 8 more chances to write an Elder Walker!!  Aprovechense!!

Les quiero.
Con Amor,
Elder Walker

August 10, 2015  On the Road Again?
Querida familia,

What an interesting week.  Monday- chill Pday working + awesome Family home evening.  Tuesday- Meeting + working.  Wednesday- working even more.  Thursday- NOOOOOOOOOoOoOoOoOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!  NOOOOOOO hahaaaaa capuchigans.  Just my luck.  With just 2 weeks and one change left.  I get the call thursday morning, "Elder Walker were calling you to inform you that you will have an emergency change today at 1pm.  Be ready.  Chau."  beeeeeeeep.  Wow.  NOOOOOO!!  haha just when my area was fruitful and ripe for the harvest, I got changed.  Apparently an Elder went home so they needed someone to fill the gap.  So here I am now in the zone Independencia, area Los Pinos.  My companion is Elder Alvarez from Columbia.  Hes alot like my last columbian companion Elder Espitia.  Very fun and interactive but super clumsy and forgetful.  He only has 4 months in the mish so I guess Ill be teaching him alot too.  And Im District Leader again.  So much for dying tranquilo :(  Buts its been alot of fun so far.  The area already has bap dates, investigators progressing, and a helpful ward.  So this is it folks.  This is where Ill be finishing.  But Ill be finishing working hard ;)

Theres also a group of EFY kids from the states who eat dinner with us sometimes.  I met one who happens to be in the ward of John and Jennifer!!  She knows Ashley.  And her name happens to be Ashley too.  So if you guys are active, you should know some Ashley whos 16 years old.  Ill be sending you guys letters with her. :)

To finish, Ill answer Momma LLamas questions-

How’s the companion?
Good.
What’s happening with each investigator?
Well were teaching mostly woman and kids, so thats gunna change soon.  I prefer familys and men.  As Christ said, I am a fisher of men ;)
How was your Sunday?
Good.
What is your schedule on “P” days?
Chill and eat with the zone, sometimes futbol till 6.  Today were gunna see a movie in the chapel.
  Have you gained any weight?
Not sure, I always lose weight in a new area, then I gain it all back.  Undecided.
  Have you lost?
Think so.  Gotta hit the gym when I get back.
  Do you still have all your possessions from the beginning?
LOL yap.  I still have all the sun block and taco seasoning you gave me.  I probably used 5% of all the toiletries and things you packed.
  You seem to be healthy most of the time. 
Thanks :)  Blessings of being a working man.

Con Amor,
Elder Walker

August 17, 2015  Time to get Wet
Querida familia,

Welp I forgot my camera AGAIN hahaaaa.  So expect fotos next week.  
But everythings awesome!  I havent worked so hard in 2 months! haha with a new companion, area, ñ responsabilidades, I only get about 5 hours of sleep but so many new investigators!!  5 came to church, but we have 10 new ones just this week ñ I promise at least 8 attend church this week.  Dad would kill to be mission leader here in my ward with so many to teach ñ baptize.  Dont worry, Ill help you guys out when I get back ;).  We reeled in 2 more this week, have another one for this saturday, 4 more for next saturday, ñ several more for September.  With just one last month to take out baptismal dates, things are about to get wet.  Get ready.

Last saturday, Maria 13 and Diana 10 were baptized.  Along with 3 primary kids.  It was fun and spiritual with so many in attendence plus chocolate cake and apple pie after!!  Thats all they pay me in nowadays.... pie and cake.  So worth it.  Im pretty worried about finishing my mission fat...  hope you guys dont mind if I come back a cow.  moo.

But this saturday, Ashly 14 will be baptized.  Only her sister is a member, but Ashly is solid!!  Fulfills every commandment 100% plus always wants to do 10% more.  The other 4 are Brayan 18, Lucero 16, Jessica 38 ñ Lucero 19.  Lucero and Brayan were eternal investigadores who really just needed to have a solid date.  Jessica and Lucero are a family and are stoked to be baptized!  Ready to change their lives and stop fighting + being gossipy haha.  To me they already seem like normal members.

The highlight of my week was seeing my bff Elder Forward (whos now Bennet Forward).  He finished back in November (for those who read my letters and remember).  I missed him soooooo mucho but he came back!  Plus Ill get to see him today!  You guys will probably get to know him someday, were gunna be room buddys at BYUI. :)

So have a fandiddlytastic week!  Keep on baitin ñ fishin ñ waiting for the Lord´s time!  If things dont work out, use a different bait.  If that dont work out, change the fishing pole.  Think about it.  Theres always fish, "The field is white ready for the harvest".  The Lord has promised that there is always more people ready.  There will never run out.  The question is, are you ready?

Con Amor,
Elder Walker

August 24, 2015  Final Countdown
Querida familia,

What an awesome week.  We worked so hard and were exhausted by the end of it.  Yet we still have so much more to do this week.  It all has payed off, as the familia Jessica and her daughter Lucero will get baptized this Saturday along with another joven named Brayan.  Brayan has been an eternal investigator for about a year now and never got baptized just because he wanted "more knowledge".  When all along he just wasn´t repented.  He had an intense interview with my zone leader Elder Garcia (from my CCM group :) and came out declaring to everyone hes getting baptized THIS saturday!!  That was an awesome moment.  The only thing missing... is that it be saturday already!!

Ashley´s baptism was awesome.  Even though her whole familia is chambon and didnt want her to do it, she is solid and wants to keep all of God´s commandments.  And she is :).  The baptism was nice as her bestfriend was their along with the leaders of Young Women.  No doubt it was a special day and shell endure 2 the end.

Tomorrow Elder Bednar comes to my mission!!!!!!  WOO my favorite apostol!!  Cant wait.  Its going to be instense.  Weve read 3 of his talks on faith in preparation, so it should be a huge lecture on faith.  Stay tuned for an inspired letter next week.

Love you all and.... THIS IS IT!!!  My last transfer starts now.  6 weeks to work, sweat, bleed, cry, and work some more to find just one more soul thats willing to change forever and join the sheep fold of God.  Then Ill be waiting for you all here in the offices wondering just when youll get here.  Ive waited for this moment for so long- too long!  2 years waiting for the moment when I can jump into my familys arms.......

Con Amor,
Elder Walker

August 31, 2015  Wake me up when september ends..

Querida familia,

Winter has come and passed, this last month has gone so fast!  Just wake me up when september endsss...

Bednar!!!  Elder Bednar came this last thursday, and it was everything I was hopeing itd be.  My companion and I did a fast the night before so we could recieve many answers to questions, feel the Spirit and a change of character, and not have to get up to go to the bathroom otherwise theyd kick us out hahaha.  Weeks before, they gave us 3 talks he had given on faith and we were asked to study them in preparation for his coming.  So he spoke on faith and how we need to be agents and not objects.  And not praying asking for help, but rather telling the Lord what youre GOING to do and then asking for any needed divine guidance/blessings.  I recieved many answers to questions of my soul.  One of them even being whether he is a true apostol of the Lord so I can have my own testimony in person.  Without a doubt, he is.  He is a living prophet and apostol of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Everything he taught and said was not only true, but with authority and the Spirit of Revelation.  His whole personality is just intertwined with preaching the gospel.  I doubt he has a life outside of preaching the gospel.
It is a great blessing knowing that there are living prophets and apostols in the last days.  Viva Bednar!  Definitely my favorite apostol.

I also saw many friends from the Lima East mission.  Awesome to know that theyre still alive after so much time.  They seem more mature and changed for the better too.  My convert from Infantas, Davis Juarez was also there!  He is so golden solid!!!  He wanted to get to know a living apostol of The Lord too.  He also convinced his mom in the jungle and she was baptized too!  Hes literally a reincarnated John Tanner.

We had yet another baptism this week- Lucero Padilla.  Her mom`s fecha was moved to the 12th of September because she confessed more things that she needs help with.  Which is good, because we could have just baptized her, but she wasnt ready nor probably would have endured to the end.  I prefer her being converted and ready.  And she will be by the 12th after we teach her more about the Atonement of our Saviour Jesus Christ who died for our sins so that we may find forgiveness and move on.  Its the only way to everlasting peace and happiness in this life and forever.
The baptism of Lucero was awesome.  Almost no one came which was sad haha, but she didnt even notice because she just wanted to get baptized and be clean!  The Spirit was definitely there.  Then right after was a stake dance competition of each ward.  She with the ward won first place!!  Its the best feeling watching your converts enjoy church activitys and just knowing theyll be alright and happy here.

Well, Ive talked alot.  Back to work.  Love yall.

Con Amor,
Elder Walker




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