Thursday, September 2, 2010

ALMOST HOME!!!

The countdown is on!!! Elder Walker will be home in 35 days!!!

~Tess

Monday, May 31, 2010

5/31

Hey Happy Anniversary,

My week was good, kinda frusterating, because Sister Alberta stopped listening to us!!! Not on her own free will though. It was her freaking daughter in law. Oh my gosh if i had a nickle for every time some dang family member stopped the progression of a great investigator. We haven't gotten to talk to her all week, because her daughter in law is the freakin devils right hand man i think. I hate Satan by the way. I wish i had one chance to see him, i'd punch him square in the mouth. So maybe you can pray that Sister Alberta will come around again.

Well i did get a text from Nanay Bantog, she loved the temple, she texted me and told me she was crying and loved the beauty. She is such a wonderful woman. I saw dayday the other day. I gave her a ride in our van around the block, she loved it! haha. About Elder McKendrick and the dentist. Well he is in the Legazpi Zone. Which has the best dentist, its just walk in appointments, it's in the mall. He is a dentist who studied in america so he is legit. It's only 800 pesos too. But the bad news is, Elder McKendrick is going to be transfered on tuesday. He will be in a zone with no dentist. But he can request from President to go to Legazpi to the dentist. But yes, don't worry the philippines does have dentists i promise.

Did you go to the Gila Valley Temple when you saw chris and sherry? You should of!

So this week was transfer planning week. It was fun i love the inspiration we have during it.

Well about my plans when i get home. Marriage is definitly in mind. But i doubt it happens very soon. I think that decision is a lot easier in my head than in real life. I don't have any girls in mind. I've been watching all these little babies and kids here. It makes me really want kids. But then i realize i have to get married before that can happen, then i figure that babies take a while to make, then i start thinking about school and money. So i probably will get married when I'm like 30+ beings how all the girls i bring home think you hate them, and babies take too long to make and wives cost a lot of money.

For now i'll just focus on my mission and let that stuff take care of itself. There is alot of time to get married. But not much time to find people to convert.
Well i love you mom, and family.
talk to you next week.
PS. i found a new pearl dealer. They have neckalaces that are three colors of pearls. Huge pearls. Pearls with cool stuff ... and it's really cheap. So i'll get some more before i go home. I'm also going to get a suit made soon too.

5/10

hello Family,
Well i wont lie, i shed a tear when i found out dad sold the 71. That sucks. But oh well you can use the money to pay off something. Or better yet, to paint your dang kitchen cabinets!!!!
i havent written Bryson but i will do it today. Just print out the letter and give it to him ok?
Well this week was awesome.
Sister Alberta came to church and brought 8 of her grandchildren with her!. It was so cool to have them sit by us at church.
But let me back up to the first of the week. We went to see sister Alberta, i don't know if i told you this but she Broke her dang arm!. Some kid was running and bumped into her and she fell and broke it. I almost cried when she told me the story in her soft little voice. I wanted to go find that punk kid and break his arm, he's lucky i don't know him. She already broke her elbow last year now her wrist is broken and she can't wash her own clothes or cook anymore. But she came to Church, she accepts every doctrine we teach her. We taught her about baptism and at first she didn't agree that children didn't have sin. Then we came back and explained it and she was like " oh i know they don't i read it in the Book of Mormon." She is super cool she loves the Book of Mormon.
We also taught alot of lessons this week to other people, Brother Hubert said "thank you for sending your messengers to help us find the truth we are looking for" That was cool, not every day do people tell you they are looking for truth.
All around a great week. Other than the psycho lady we taught last night, but Tessa can tell you that story. That lady was freaking crazy. When i left it was hard for me to not think "Bahala ka na sa kaligtasan mo"!, I don't know really how to say that in english so if you have a translator you can try it out. haha.
Well mom, i withdrew 2000 pesos on saturday. but for good reason. I sent Nanay Bantog (remember my convert Mother from Pili) I sent her to the temple to get endowed. She has been a memeber for a year now and was eligible to go. So i told her to go with the next temple trip and i would pay for her fare because she has no money to pay for it. I hope your not mad at me. I probably wasn't gonna use that money for anything else though so i thought i'd give it to her. She came to the mission office last night for her interview and gave me a hug! I know i'm not allowed to hug women but she is literally my mother here so i hugged her. I'll repent later.

Well if you really want to get me something special for my 21st b-day. you can put some money in my account, i'll try not to send someone to the temple with it this time. I want to get a custom suit made before i come home. They are cheaper than in america and its tailor made. So if you really want to do something you could put like 200 dollars in my account. IF and only IF you want to. Other than that mom, don't send me anything. 21 is just a number. You'll probably feel even wierder when i get home and get married haha.
Well mom, i gotta go. I love you
Elder Walker

5/3

Man Those shingles don't seem to be lasting. Are you replacing them as they blow off? I wonder what we could do to stop them from doing that.
Yes i've met Elder Mckendrick, he is brand new. But he looks like he will be a fantastic missionary. His companion was in the hospital for a couple of days. His companion has a colostomy bag because of something he had when he was born. Anyways his stomach started hurting him and he started throwing up, and he is not supposed to throw up so they put him in a hospital. Poor Elder Mckendrick had to sleep in the hospital with his trainer te first week of his mission. haha i felt bad, but i bet it was a journal writing experience. No i have not ever served in Guinobatan, but i was the Zone Leader for Legazpi zone and i went there alot.

Did Amanda ever come by? How is she doing? Did she like the things I sent?
Well I really hope the trickeys don't move away. Sister Lambson and I always talk about Kim, oh man i miss that family. I'd die if they moved away!!!!

Well the plans for the call are probably the same as last time. I'll call you at about 5 oclock your time on your sunday. Ok? Just be waiting by the computer. Please sit at the table again so that i can see you all and not only one at a time.

I had a good week this week just a lot of zone conferences. After the zone cons. we finally got to get out and work. It was amazing. i miss the feeling of tracting. It is sooooo much fun. Nothing can compare to it. not even football.
Well Family I love you and i miss you, But i'll talk to you next week. Mom i hope you can sleep on saturday night, your gonna be like a little kid on christmas probably! haha jk.
Ok love you
Elder Walker

4/26

Hey WOW my packages are awesome. I finally opened them!!! You guys suprised me soooo good. I got Drawn!!!! HOLY COW. I knew i'd get blessing from serving a mission.!!! Well i'm glad you liked your pearls. You'll have to put another order for stuff in before i come home. I'll bring alot. Well tell Grandma i said hello. Tell her also i look forward to getting to know her better. I regret not ever getting to know her. I bet she has a bunch of cool stories to tell. Ask her if she remembers when me and her figured out we read magazines the same way (back to front) haha wierd.
Well This week was definitly stressful. But it was fun. I liked the sense of accomplishment i had after all the transfers were done.
Yes i have changed things already. Instead of spending all of our time in the office. I decided to take about a week and get everything we need done in the office done. So then we can just be normal missionaries and go back to doing what we love.

It is crazy how Satan works. I love to work i know i love to work. But every time i'm about to go work i feel and hear soemthing telling me i don't like it, or that it's hot and i don't need to. Oh man he tries hard on missionaries to get them not to work. Because if he can stop missionaries from working he can stop the work from progressing and that's his main goal.
You should ask Grandma if she wuold like to listen to the missionaries. Just to better understand you and our family!!! Will you do that? Will you ask her to take the lessons? Pray about it! Pray for help!

I think the notebooks your refering to are my old planners. We get one of those every transfer. I love them. I bet there is alot of cool info in them. If You liked reading those you will definitly like reading my journals. I just finished my 3rd one the other night. I'm on my 4th and final one for my mission. But it has become a habit, and i can't sleep without writing in it. So when i get home it will continue.

Well it seems my decision to not become a nurse has paid off. I think that if i want job security the military is the best place to be, after all there is always a war going on. Well Family i have to go get prepared for the upcoming week full of zone conferences. I love you all. I hope you have a great week!!!! Thanks for the packages. C
Can you let me know what hunt i have and when it is. Thanks. I hope Dad can take time off to go camping with me.
Love
Elder Walker

Sunday, May 30, 2010

April 12

Hey mom,
Well this week was great.
Did you watch Conference? Please tell me yes, if not, please do so! It was amazing. Such good talks! I love the boost i get from watching conference. I rememeber when i used to think that conference meant a time for hunting or fishing. Wow how wrong i was. I missed out on some great talks and advice in those years.
Well still no package either, maybe next week. Man i hope you get yours soon.
Well i have a pretty cool story.
After conference on saturday we went out working. We went to the home of one of our investigators and he wasn't home so we asked his next door neighbor if she knew where he was. She didn't but told us she knew someone who wanted to hear our message. She said her son! We though great, until we figured out he was 7. But then we asked if we could share with her and her son. She agreed. We only shared about familes but she loved it. She told us that her family is her biggest blessing and her life, without them she would be nothing, she said. So on Sunday we went back and taught her the entire 1st lesson about the restoration. She cried during the first vision. Afterward we asked her what she was feeling, she said she felt, "light". I love that description of the way the Holy Ghost makes you feel, it's so true He makes you feel like you have no worries, so you feel so light. He shares truth with you, which is also light. All truth is Light. Such a good description.
I asked her to pray about Joseph Smith, she said " i dont think i will". I was shocked, I asked why. She said with tear filled eyes, "I can feel it's true, i don't need to ask i know.", we still encouraged her to ask. She promised she would. She is such a choice person. I love teaching to her. Her little 1 year old son is such a doll, she walks around the entire time giving us high fives and jabbering on. And when we leave he starts crying and runs after us. For some reason he really took a likin to us. I love that family. I know they will be baptized.
I love moments like that in my mission. I love knowing God has a plan for us. And that plan involves other people, if we don't do what we need to do we take that other persons chance away to know of God's plan. We can't think our lives are only ours. Everything we do in someway effects someone else. I've learned that here.
Well Family i love you all. Tell Nell i'll be praying for her!

April 5

Hello family,
1st, let me wish the best mom, and most wonderful woman in the world a happy birthday. I love you Mom, your wonderful, the most perfect mother anyone could ask for. Your the glue that kept our family going. I'll admit it, i'm a momma's boy, thats proabably no secret though. And yes it is a date mom, we do Have to go to the San Diego and Salt Lake Temples when i get back.
Well you dont have to worry about me running into the NPA. They are mostly down south and in the mountains. Although i do go there often, i'm only driving i rarely get out of the van.
Well that was pretty much the only interesting news i had from this week. We didnt get to teach much other than yesterday and tuesday. YEsterday we taught this hilarious Couple, they are in their 50's but treat each other like they are 18. The brother told us they were going swimming in the ocean, he joked his wife that she was gonna wear a 2-piece. Then he says, if she wears a two piece i'm wearing a NO Piece!!! haha i almost died laughing. They are wonderful.
Well I really have no other news to tell you. My week was good, i was sick for a bit but i'm ok now. I'm really excited about these packages. Is there any letters in it? The belt i'm wearing in my pictures is made from elephant ivory. Cool huh.
Well Family i'm sorry this is short. I love you All!!!
Elder Walker