Weel 80

Querida familia,

Hola!  Tudu ben en Peru.  Instead of writing another boring letter this week, Ill just answer moms survey and attach my itinerary.  ENJOY! :D

What do you usually eat for breakfast and where?  Lunch?  Dinner?
Breakfast I buy bread from the panaderia and throw ham on it with maybe some hot sauce.  Lunch,l members.  Dinner, maybe a horse-meat hamburguesa in the street.

Do you take your laundry or is it picked up?

I drop it off at the stake center weekly during the district meeting.

Do you ever take taxis or buses?
Taxis only during changes when we have suitcases.  Buses, all day errday.

How are your feet holding up?
Theyre holding up and putting down great.

Do you still have your pedometer?  How many miles do you walk daily?
Si, its still sitting on my counter for the last 19 months waiting to be used for the first time.  Tomorrow Ill use it....

What is the most unique service you have performed?
Delivering chickens.

If we were to bring an extra suitcase, what do the people mostly need?
An estra suitcase for what?  My stuff I wanna take back?

What do you do all P day?  When do you go back to work?
Usually just eat a yummy lunch like mcdonalds or pizza to make up for all the rice I eat in a week.  Then play football or sleeeep.  Back to work the next day.  JAJA!  nah, 6pm maximo.

Do you look for random ways to serve people?
Si.  Always help grandmas carry their corn up 50 flights of stairs or small stuff for investigators.

What are the different sounds you hear there?
The states are super calm and quiet compared to hear.  This is one thing I wont miss about Peru.  In the morning, theres always cocks crowing or dogs barking.  Theres constantly bus and car noises regardless of the hour of the day.  Even worse is the sound pollution- everyone blasts their terrible regaton /weird salsa mariachi music.  Whether it be your neighbor or a car parked in the street.  Theres always music coming from somewhere.

What is your favorite culture thing different from ours?
Nothing really haha.  I enjoy Xmas and New Years.  They really know how to celebrate those days.

Are you wearing a sweater?  Did you have one made there?
Not yet, only on cold days.  But were already in winter here, muy pronto me llevare.  I do have 4 given to me from latinos.  2 handmade.  1 from macchu picchu.

Take a picture of your shoes.
Yes mom.

What do you wish you had more time to do to help the people?
I wish I had more time to put activitys together in the ward.  Stuff to get the whole ward and investigators excited.  I want everyone to be converted together.

What modern  conveniences have you learned to get along without?
A phone.  Music.  Videogames.  Facebook.  I really was more addicted and wasted alot more time than I realized before.  Lifes alot easier and free without those worries.

Any advice for new missionaries?

Take innitiative.  D&C 58:26-29.  God wants missionaries that work; that are smart.  The glory of God is intelligence (D&C 93:36).  So be intelligent.  Dont wait or depend on anyone else to learn or get the job done.

I forgot last week haha even though I had already made the itinerary.  Here you go:

Monday- see you and cry my face off at the testimony meeting.

Tuesday- You come to the cambios and watch how its done, then Im youre forever! :D  Then we can eat lunch and probably go play football if you want in one of my wards.  Eat dinner then head to the hotel.  Hit the jakuzzi!!!

Wednesday- Macchu Picchu and where ever else youd like to go.

Thursday- Templo, Mall, playa, meusems, souvenirs, Llama farms, Water park, Haunted House.

Friday- Areas.  In this order: Canto Grande, Canto Chico, almuerzo con familia Fuentes.  Then Deseret, and we finish in Progreso playing futbol.

Saturday- IM OUT YO!!!

Con Amor,

Elder Walker

PS  This is Ryan's Mom-I am taking an extra suitcase with supplies for the children and any other needs Ryan mentions.  If you would like to help, contact me.  Thank you!

 

Feliz dia de Mommys

Querida familia,

Happy Mommys Day!!! :D  Hope you had a special day mama.  Sorry my only gift was singing a bad song over skype haha but enjoy!

I.. am... tired.  We have 5 meatings this week!!!  5!!  Rediculous.  I went to bed everynight at 1130 and woke up early 6 everyday.  Tha'ts why I was kind of tired when skyping, but bueno, it was fun.  I'm still loving being a zone leader.  It's a lot of work, but I'm doing a good job and we're having success.  This last month my zone ended with 14 baptisms, just 1 short of the goal of 15.  8 of them were my own baptisms haha.  But this month the goal is 16, and I've already told everybody that if we meet the goal, my daddy is going to invite us to pizza. ;)

Investigators.  After last month, we're kind of dry haha. I have a grandma that can't read and an 11 year old scheduled for baptism the 23rd haha.  Sgunna be siick.

Bueno, that's it.  Today we should be going to the GRAN JAVILLA!!  It's like a mini mini disneyland.  But it also supposably has the world's fattest pig.  Hope ya'll have a beautiful week.  This is your favorite missionary, son, and llama, Elder Walker.

Con Amor,

Elder Walker

PS The answer to last weeks question-  Did Unicorns exist?!  Well, seeing as everyone was stumped by such a hard question no one answered, Im going to leave you all stumped and give you another week to respond. :)

So tell me.  Did unicorns exist?  The answer is in the bible.

The Flavor-May 4

Querida familia,

Buenos Dias.  Como estan?  Muy bien. Han leido sus escritas hoy?  Muy bien.  Que tal sus oraciones?  Han orado mañana Y noche diario? Hoy?  Muy bien.  Sacaron un 20 hoy.  Bueno, vamos a hacer una oracion y hoy dia les voy a compartir un mensaje sobre El Plan de Elder Walker.

This week I complete 5 months remaining.  Seems so far away yet so close.  My body hurts haha.  I could really use a real P day or one of those Korean back massages.  But relax, I'm not trunky!  Honestly the closer it gets, the more energy and animos I'm recuperating.  I want to end my mission 100% ruler.  Not that I'm not a ruler right now, I'm demaciado ruler.  But my last 2 changes, I've already committed myself to be the perfect missionary I've wanted to be my whole mission.  Pero aun faulta....

Highlight of my week- my converts!!  Its hard managing 9 converts from last month and trying to keep baptizing.  But the ward is actually helping.  my happiest moment was sitting in sacrament meeting yesterday and seeing all their smiling faces.  None of them inactive yet.  But the coolest part was watching sister Lurdes and sister Jacquelin stand up ,and for their diligent faith, be called to be the 1st and 2nd counselors of the Relief Society!!!  Subes!!!  WOW!  They're now golden converts.  Almost cried.  Almost.

Our only fecha right now is the sister of Esther, se llama Elsa.  Even though shes 9000 years old, all the kids on the block know her as "El Sabor"  ("The Flavor")  LOL!!  Disgusting.  but hilarious.  She's actually tight!  She jokes around a lot and loves the teaching.  She's my companion's snake haha.  She wants to go to Honduras so bad. xD

One thing I'll miss from the mission is having a companion.  No matter how bad the day goes, we always stay up in bed talking at night and just laugh about everything.

Well that's all folks.  Mom send me the questions from last week again because I lost them haha.  Include them in a separate email porfa.  About Mommy's Day, it should be Sunday like around 3 pm, but I'll call ya'll don't worry.  Tranquilo.  But please all try to be on the same computer, none of this mom from the living room, craig in the kitchen, dad in the shower, etc.  Ruins the connection.  But all friends and family are invited porsercaso ;)  If ya'll wanna see the new and beautiful Elder Walker- talk to my mommy to get on the list!!

Con Amor,

Elder Water

PS.  Answer to last weeks quesh!  Whats the original purpose of the Melchizedek Priesthood?  Bueno, I should have phrased it better- Whats the original purpose of the Melchizedek Priesthood for man?  We already know what it is and what it does, but that's not why it was originally given to man.  2 scriptures to answer your troubles.  John 17:3 first, then D&C 84:19-22. Gods "work and glory" is "to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39).  No one can have eternal life if they're not with God.  John 17:3.  Thus no man could "see the face of God and live" without the Melchizedek priesthood.  That is God's original purpose in giving man the priesthood.

PSS.  Quesh of the week!!  Did unicorns really exist? (such as in Job 39)  Many biblical creatures existed that are nowadays extinct.  

PSSS. To answer Dad's question- what is the condescension of God spoken of is 1 Nepi 11:16?  Well if you could reading, in 11:26-27 it says the answer.  And in Mosiah 15:1-3(-9).  Its basically that God himself came down from Heaven in his perfect state and took upon himself the form of of man, to save man, something worthless, from its lost and fallen state.

Woohoo-April 27

Querida familia,

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo

8/4/2!!!!!! YEA BAYBEEEE!!!!!!! WOH! WOH! WOH! WOH! WOH! WOH! WOH! 

Bueno.  Let's start at the beginning shall we.

Hermano Andy was officially the biggest fallen fecha disappointment of my mission at the beginning of the week.  We already had plans to leave him and move on.  Something told us to give him one more chance, so we decided to wait until Wednesday for his final final interview.  He has questions about all friquin commandments, but His biggest problem was just not working Sundays.  On Tuesday we had a serious lesson and talked man to man with him about the Sabbath Day.  I hate informal lessons, but I feel like because we stopped being missionaries and talked like men, out of all the lessons it was the one he learned the most from. Not sure how, but when he came out of the final final interview on Wednesday, he was crying and just said, "Welp, you got me.  I want to be baptized Saturday....!" ¿Que? WAHT?!!  I LOVE YOU!!  AHHHhhhhhhhhhhahahaha we hugged and danced and ya.  It was a magical moment.

Then came Friday, my family Bruce and Jessica got Married!! :DD  Super beautiful.  I may have danced for 2 seconds..... until the bishop caught me and burnt me.

Pictures to come.  :)

And last was Saturday- the baptisms!  My companion and I were there- super stoked.  Everything beautiful and ready.  The clock hit 6...  nobody.  Que pasa?!  NOO This can't be happening!!  We come outside and look up the street- PHEW.  There's everybody haha.  Peruvian standard time, arrive half an hour late.  Start an hour late.  Little words can really describe the baptism.  I've never seen a baptism so beautiful and big having 2 whole familias.  Familia uno- Bruce, Jessica (just married!) and Esther (Bruce's mom).  Familia dos- Andy, Jacquelin, and Andy Jr.  I baptized Bruce, Jessica, and Jacquelin.  Almost drowned Bruce.  Dunked a little too hard and water hit several of the little kids watching.  LOL.  The best was Andy Jr.  He came out of the water screaming, "WOW, ESO me encantO!!"  (WOW, I LOVED that!!!).  In the end, I played Come Thou Font of Every Blessings while mi gringasa Sister Karratti sang.  Wish you guys were there.  Both familias turned their lives around and witnessed a huge but beautiful change in their lives. Especially Bruce who used to get drunk and do many things, but now none of that. :)

Bueno.  About your questions mom, please send them next week and I promise I'll respond.  'Im out of time because I did a room check on one of my district leaders and found them dead asleep with apostacia haha.  Una buena quemada.  But next week ill have more time to respond.

I love ya'llll and hope you have a bodacious week.

Con Amor,

Elder Walker

PS.  Question of the week!!  A toughy.  Whats the original purpose of the Melchizedek Priesthood?

PSS Thanks for playing along Mom, dad, Cameron and Craig, I guess I'll keep the trivia goin'. :)  My question about Judas was pure speculation, but I still keep my position that it was according to a plan.  Answer to last weeks- Does God have faith?  Sorry mom but Craig and Dad nailed it.  Read these three verses in order: Alma 32:21, Ether 3:19, and Moroni 7:46.  Faith is not having a perfect knowledge.  We believe in a God that knows all things.  God does not have faith because he knows all things.  He knows what has, what is, and what will happen without a doubt.  Therefore faith is part of our progression to become as God.  Those who don't have faith will never become as God, because they will never know all things, but must remain in the dark.  And as it says in Moroni 7:46, "All things must fail."  but "Charity never faileth".  Even faith will fail.  But charity never faileth.

Have a nice week.

Picssss-enjoy  My compy's camera por ser caso

8/4/2!!!

Querida familia,

Wow sorry it's taken me so long to write y'all already, cause I know you're all still sitting there at your laptops and I pads (my friquin Ipad2 included ((Craig))) just waiting for my email to arrive.  Well await no longer more!  Wow, my English is terrible.  But this random old lady with flaming red hair walked in into internet, and what are the odds, she speaks English.  More fun odds, she's Mormon!  So of course she talks to me about the states and Peru and the church and- I just want to write my family!!!  hahaha...  no offense.

Bueno.  Lets get to the goods.  2 baptisms this week!!  WOOOO!!!  Lurdes Liñan, a single mom (23 años) who went through an extreme depression for about 2 years because her boyfriend just abandoned her when he found out she was pregnant.  It's a beautiful story because she didn't know what she was living for anymore, she just wants her son to be happy.  But the Plan of Salvation, Our Heavenly Father,s plan for happiness, gave new light and meaning to her life.  She's a lot happier now than when we first started teaching her.  Cried at the baptism too.

Anthony Tinoco (lol tinoco) was the guy that called us Sunday telling us he wanted to be baptized.  And last Saturday, he was. :D  I remember when I shut the door, I saw him crying in the font.  Sigh.  This work is so true.

We'll have 5 more baptisms this Saturday. :)  Andy won't be baptized Saturday.  Made me so just... mad and confused inside that he didn't come to church and doesn't want to get baptized with his family.  Chambon.  But it's cool right- were gonna spank him into gear and May si o si he's getting dunked. :)

But as for Bruce and his family- A+!!  The marriage will be this Friday and baptism Saturday.  Stay tuned for pics! :D

I'm also super stoked because, as says the title, 8/4/2 is the norm of excellency of the mission Peru Lima Norte.  Basically means 4 baptisms with 2 familias.  Only a small percntage of missionarys ever make 8/4/2 in all their mission, and I'll be one of them.  ;D

Well many other awesome things happened this week like breaking fasts with snicker-doodles (Haven't had one in forEVER) (yummmm), I DON'T have a change! Ill be staying with Elder Guzman another change, and other shenanigans, but bueno, stay tuned for next week.  Happy Birfdays to my favorite Uncle Johnny (50 years, WOW you're practically a dinosaur now!) and Happy Birfdays to my favorite sister Emily- 12 years old!  A young woman now!  They grow up so fast. :,)  Love and miss you all- stay strong, stay true, stay fresh.

Con Amor,

Elder Walker

PS Pregunta of the week-  Does God have faith?

PSS  Answer to last weeks- I honestly can't say if its true, but the evidence suggests that it was according to the plan.  There's a scripture in Proverbs that already said  he'd be sold for money, and just as Peter denied Christ 3 times (but really because he had to be the next prophet, if he had not denied Christ, he'd have died with Him), if Judas had not sold Him, the Atonement would have never taken place.

PSSS Thanks mom for participating.  If no one else responds this week, I think I'll just stop with the fun trivia questions jaja...

PSSSS Joaquin hasn't written me in approximately 18 months and I've decided I'm tired of typing his email... write thou me or ye shall be cast off!!

Up All Night

Querida familia,

Yo.  Estoy.  Muerto.  No durmi por nada anoche.  Aso mami.  Odio numeros jajaja.

Bueno.  The only cool thing I have to report is that we have 8 fechas!!!!  AHH!  This Saturday well have 2 baptisms, and next week we'll have 2 whole families getting baptized; 8 en total.  I never imagined having success as a zone leader, but WOOP.  Originally we were only going to have 1 baptism this week, but IT happened again!!  It.  That magical moment when someone just walks up to you and says- HEY ELDERES, YOU NEED TO BAPTIZE ME!!!  An eternal investigator called my compy last night and said- "Elder Guzman!  -Que??  -Quiero ser bautizado!! -No manches.  -En serio! -ya pues habla bonito, odio tus bromas. -En serio, ven ahorrita, me voy a bautizar este sabado!! -QUE?!  VAMOX!!!"  So we taught him, and it's afishal for this Saturday.  WHOOP.  Do I work?  Or do I work?

Its drivin' me nuts trying to balance the zone, the quemadas from the assistants, and my own baptisms.  But say special prayers for my families this week- especially Andy and Jaquelin because Andy is being chambon.

8 baptisms..  Sgunna be SICK.

Welp.  Hope you're all happy and dandy and safe.  Remember "Read and Pray, Errday!"

Con Amor,

Elder Walker

PS The answer to last weeks question- Did we know joy before we were born?  If no/yes, what scripture says so?

The answer is no and yes.  In Job 38 and Prov. 26 talks about how we lived with God and rejoiced with Him.  But our joy was not full as says 2 Nefi 2:23-25(I tink).  As it states in D&C 93:33-34, the spirit cant have a fulness of joy without a body.  So this life was necessary to gain a fulness of joy.  But we will never have a full capacity of joy, till we reach the Celestial Kingdom.  We are in a Plan of Happiness.  The Plan isn't finished till our joy is full.

Thanks Mom for being the only one to play along haha.

This weeks enigma- Did Judas really betray Jesus?  Or was it done according to a plan?  Enjoy.

The Last Stretch

Querida familia,

Lets just get it over with.

WAOOOOOOOOOOWHOOOOOOOOOOOOOONDÑFKNDFNS,.MDNFKLJÑLKJSDKJÑKLJSNDFKLSLKF??¡¿¿''¿!!

Yea so today happens to be the exact day that marks 6 months till the second coming.... of Elder Quaker.  My Mish Presidente has informed me this last week that my official release date is the 6th of October.  So be joyous and filled with glee.  Don't get trunky yet guys.

This was the weirdest week of my mission.  For many reasons.  SO many reuniones.  And on top of that we moved houses, my compy got super deathly sick one day, more reuniones, work visits, general conference, and so much stuff.  Kind of wish I was a junior cheeseburger again lol.  Big Macs starting to give me diarrhea.

Every month we have a Mission Leadership Council which is a huge reunion for the assistants, President, and Zone Leaders.  It's pretty intense because you could either get congratulated for your zones results, or burnt to crisps.  My last zone, Los Angeles, ended with 17 baptisms of the 23 goal :D  Even though I wasn't there to finish the month, I know my efforts helped out.  That zone had never passed 10 baptisms for almost a year now.  But I really wished I was there to enjoy it :(  But my current zone, Tahuantinsuyo, ended with 12 baptisms out of the 12 goal :D  And this month were going for 15.  Stoooked!!

We had 3 familias come to conference this week!!!!  WOOOO!  I wanted to cry :,)  2 of them should be getting baptized this month.  One of them is Bruce and Jessica.  Bruce Almighty (I call him) is one of the coolest investigators I've taught.  He and his wife are super stoked to get married this 24th de April and baptized the 25th.  The only obstacle is that because he's so social and tight with everybody, he's easily tempted to drink with friends.  But we're cutting out Satan from his life!  Right now I'm making him a USB to listen to while he works with MOTAB and talks from the prophets about alcohol and familias.  We're also having members pass by everyday so he has someone to talk to and encourage him.  He's getting baptized Si o Si!

Also a familia called Andy y Jaquelin.  Jaquelin was a simple street contact, and is now getting baptized the 25th with her son.  She's gone to church every week so far and even Relief Society activities.  Andy doesn't have a problem with any commandments but isn't sure if he wants to get baptized cause he's scared to not drink at his birthday with his family in December.  Kind of ridiculous.  But we just keep ignoring his weird fears and keep teaching him new things till the Lord opens his mind and he can get baptized together with his fam :)

Wow I've talked a lot.  Sorry.  Enjoy :D  Conference was great.  My favorite talks were exactly the same as Dads.  Can't wait to watch the next one with yall ;)

Love you byee!!

Con Amor,

Elder Walker

PS I've decided to add trivia questions at the end of my emails.  Everyone should intent and give me their answer :)

Did we know joy before we were born?  If no/yes, what scripture says so?

 

Pictures:

Moving

all done.... pitucaso

6 month countdown pic till the second coming of Elder Quaker....

view from my room

Shes watering her garden?  All Peruvians do this.... I'm still not sure why.