High Five

Hola Familia y amigos,

Drum Roll please.......................................We set FIVE BAPTISMAL DATES THIS WEEK!!!!  BOOO YAAAA!!!  It was so amazing.  Twin Falls is on fire right now.  Me and Sister Denkers set 3 baptismal dates in one hour like 5 mins before our cerfew and we ran outside literally screaming on the inside.  It was amazing.  We are going to try and get like 3 more this next week.  I honestly don't even know where these people come from.  But yes the work is going so great and I never want to leave this area.  I am so nervous that I am going to get transferred in 2 weeks.  There are so many missionaries coming in and so many areas opening so we never know.

We went to a Part Member Families home hoping to start the missionary lessons with the 11 yr old girl and 14 yr old boy that have not been baptized yet.  We sat down and just talked a bit about life, and then we started getting into the important stuff, their salvation.  We were talking about their beliefs in God and Jesus Christ and the 14 yr old boy began telling us why he doesn't believe in God.  While he was talking you could just feel the spirit leave and Satan start barfing out of his mouth!  He kept saying these  like, "If there was a God, He wouldn't let bad things happen to us", and "We are poor and paying tithing is stupid because we need the money.".  I was getting so angry...not just angry...but the wrath of God came over me!  haha Quite literally.  The thing that set me off was when we were talking about him needing to repent and come to Christ, and he said, "But doing bad things makes me happy, and if there was a God he would strike me down or something, but he hasn't.  Good things still happen to me."  At this point I just wanted to punch him in the face, haha but instead I let the spirit chastise him through me.  I said, "You will be judged.  There is a God and He doesn't like what you are doing right now.  If you do not repent you are going to be miserable after you die." haha I am so crazy out here.  I try to be loving too though, don't worry:)  

Today our zone is putting on a talent show.  There are 4 of us sisters in our zone so we are all going to rap together.  haha super embarrassing I know.  We have this cd called popcorn bopping that is for little kids.  The song Called to Serve is on there but it is little kids rapping it.  It is so funny.  We are dressing up in all black and putting hats and ties on.  I'll video it and send it to mom:)  

I super love the family that we live with.  We love to talk to them when we get home at night.  Elaina still comes to me EVERY night when I get home and says, "Hey mishamarry, lets sing a Jesus song in your house"  So we go in the doorway, sit down, and sing for a few minutes.  Sometimes she wants to sing to the dog too so she goes and drags him over and we sing to him.  Then we usually give her a Popsicle.  It's the best.

The majority of missionaries in this mission are from Arizona.  We call it the Idaho-Arizona exchange program.  Are there a lot of missionaries from Idaho in Arizona?  There are a few polys, a few from Canada, and I think 1 from Germany.  Both of our AP's are from Arizona.  It's pretty cool.

I miss Arizona.  I miss playing sports and going to ASU.  I also miss walking around in my pajamas.  I miss my family and friends.  But I really love it here.  The best is when we are so busy I don't have time to think about the things I miss.

I love you all and love love love getting letters and e-mails from my favorite people ever!  IT is what keeps me going out here.  Have a great week!!

Sister Walker

MONDAY was a FUN-DAY

MOTHER AND FATHER.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR OLDIES HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!  I hope you get my package today!  I wanted to at least have it get there by moms birthday, so hopefully it will come today.  My brothers and sisters had better of taken great care of you:)  I loovveeeee that in my e-mail from dad today, he told me his joints have like worn out.  I always told you you were getting old but you never listened!!!!  Sorry, I guess its not funny that you are in pain, haha I will be praying for you.  Love you!:)

This week was intense.  Monday was super super super fun!  We got to spend the day with our WML the McMullens.  They take such great care of us and I love the family!  We played Tennis and had a bbq.  Some of the Elders came and 2 of them got hurt.  They are so dumb, like I have already mentioned:)  We each got to take a turn jumping on the trampoline (so awkward having like 10 people watching you jump in the air like you are 5 years old) and Elder McFarlane got up, did a backflip, and somehow landed on the ground on his head!  

 

BUT, That is not all.  He proceeded to try to redeem himself by doing it again, and then landing on the ground again!!!!!  THATS NOT ALL!!  

 

HE DID IT AGAIN!!! haha it was the best thing ever.  3 times he landed on his back, his head, and it was just horrible.  Then Elder Menlove (he is not a small kid) thought it would be smart to jump on Elder Durney (who is as small as Jimmy Neutron).  That resulted in him on the ground with the wind knocked out of him.  We saw him the next day and he was in a lot of pain.  haha do you see what I Have to deal with out here?!

Me and sister Denkers (along with our zone) got to have an interview with President Curits.  It was the best ever.  Our Mission President is so awesome.  He reminds me of dad a lot.  He is very very strict, which I love, but is so loving and wants us to succeed.  In the interview, he told me that I will be training next transfer, which is in 3 weeks.  I am so excited to train a new sister.  It is weird that I am not the newbie anymore!  Pray for me that I will stay in Twin Falls!!!  I love this area and never want to leave!:)

It is randomly getting cold and I am freaking out.  You might have to drive up and get me soon because I will be frozen solid on the sidewalk.  

A few favorites we are working with right now are an older lady in her 60's who is less active and can't really walk.  We go to her house every Sunday night and read the Book of Mormon with her or just have a little lesson with her.  Her faith is so shaky so I am DETERMINED to help her grow her faith in Jesus Christ and the gospel.  We are also working with the mother of the 2 teenagers we baptized a few weeks ago.  She is the only member in her family not baptized.  Her Faith has Grown SOOOOOOOOOO much!  We asked her to be baptized a few days ago and she started crying, saying that she has been thinking about it a lot and is almost ready!  She has come so far, it has been awesome seeing the atonement working in her life.  We are also working with a few Napoly people and a 9 year old boy.

Our stake is centered on missionary work out here, it is amazing.  The members are so great and the work is moving along so well.  I get my examples for missionary work out of the Book of Mormon.  I would challenge you all to do that too!  Abinadi is a great example of preaching the word with faith.  He is so powerful!  I love Jacob too, and the sons of Mosiah, and Ammon.  Ahh the Book of Mormon is filled with amazing missionaries that I never really realized before!  The more we understand how important the gospel is for our salvation, the less scary and burdensome it is so share it with others.  Thank you for the support you give me!!!  

Sister Walker

Happy Labor Day!!

Happy Labor Day!!!!!!!  Mom...do NOT make deviled eggs.  I will make them when I get home:)  Today we get to do so many fun things!

1.  Most of the Elders and Sisters do not get to e-mail today because all of the libraries are closed, BUT, because we live right next to the Family History Center in Twin, they are opening it for all of the missionaries close by, Hallelujah!!!  E-mailing is one of the things that keeps me sane out here in Idaho.  and

2.  Our mission leader, Brother McMullen, invited us over to have a bbq and play Tennis, Volley Ball, and Soccer with his Family!  They have like 6 kids and they are so fun!  2 other sets of Elders are coming because they like Tennis too, and we never get to play.  THEN....

3...We are having a FHE with a less active family we have been working with, and they are starting to do missionary work too by inviting one of their non member family friends over too!!!!  SO AWESOME!!!!  We are playing volleyball and soccer and having another bbq haha so this day is AWESOME!!!!!!

We had 2 baptisms this week.  One was an 8 year old boy who's mom just got baptized, and the other is a 10 yr old boy from a less active family.  It is funny how close we grow to these families in such short amounts of time.  

Cool experience-  On Monday I was saying my morning prayers and was asking that somehow I could have money for lunch...I am silly and for some reason ran out of money (but don't worry they refilled it today:))...and I also asked Heavenly Father if he would help me do missionary work even though it was P-Day.  SO a few of us went to Jimmy Johns and I just had faith I would be able to pay for my food...and guess what...a member had already payed for our food before we came in the doors!!!   That is the power of faith people:)  ANDDD  while we were eating, this lady comes up to me and says she has a friend who she thinks is interested in the church and wanted us to call her.  Both of my prayers were answered in just a short period of time!!  I just love being on a mission:)

We had so many cool experiences this week that I wish I could write them all down! 

 We helped set up a wedding reception this week and make sushi for it.  That was super fun, and we tried to do missionary work there.  

I went on exchanged this week and Sister Buckhoff was trying to teach me how to be weird.  We made a lot of animal noises that day and I hope I don't come home too weird.

I have seen how much more confident I become every day.  The first like month was so terrifying for me and I had a hard time even opening my mouth.  Now I feel like I can conquer the world!  I am not afraid to talk to people or knock on doors.  I am not afraid to express my testimony.  I am not afraid to tell these people that they need to change and become closer to Christ.  Whenever we are trying to share the gospel, the Spirit will direct us and guide us, we should not be afraid.  

We met an Anti-Mormon at the park the other day and he was telling us alll about how Joseph Smith was a child molester and that Brigham young was a murderer.  I felt a little bit angry and shocked at first, but then I felt like I was overcome the spirit when I started to speak.  I told him truths and shared scriptures and told him that we was wrong.  I wasn't arguing, but just stating the things I felt in my heart.

 By the end of our hour conversation, his heart was softened and he was proud of us for being on our missions standing up for what we believe.  I have never felt this much passion for something for a long time.  The Gospel is true and Savior lives.  Heavenly Father loves us.  I am so grateful to be raised in the family I was raised in, and taught the truths of the gospel.  

Sister Walker