1-25-16

Hey Y’all! 

   This week has been a really good one! I said goodbye to Elder Taggart after 4 1/2 months! He went down to serve in Burkburnett Texas with Elder Slack! My new companion is Elder Haws who came from Lawton. He is an awesome guy! He is from Farmington Utah and has been out for 18 months! We get along great and are having fun!

This week was a pretty busy one for us and we have a busy one lined up for next week too! We got to do a new District Leader Training on Thursday afternoon, then we got to watch a worldwide missionary broadcast put on by the missionary executive council. That was really neat. It was 2 hours of instruction from the apostles and other Leaders from the Church. I learned so much! They talked about Bearing testimony frequently, Teaching with the spirit, and study/ preparation and leaving commitments. It was awesome! 

   Also this week we were informed that on February 20th, our whole mission along with the Bentonville Arkansas mission will be meeting in Tulsa Oklahoma for a dual mission conference where an Apostle will be presiding. We are so excited to go to that conference! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be gathered together with approx. 400 missionaries and an apostle! Also to put the cherry on top, Elder Gonzales (who came out with me) and I have been asked to perform a musical number there at that conference. I am super nervous and excited at the same time! This is going to be awesome! 

   Other than that, we have had a great week. Things are looking up and we are so blessed! Jay is on Date for Feb. 20th (which we're going to have to change haha) and so is Katherine! We are so excited for them! 

   Thank you so much for all the love and the support that y’all have shown and provided for me! Love y’all and hope that you have a great week!

Elder Walker   

Elders Walker and Haws

and this is lunch I guess

1-11-16

Hey Y’all,

   First of all, I want to apologize for not replying to everyone’s emails today. Today we are having zone P-day and are going to the OKC Science museum so we have a limited time on emails.

   I have received several complaints about me sharing what the weather is like. They say that they want to hear more about me and what’s going on and not the weather. So I'll do my best!

    So this week was a really good one for us. It snowed on Friday night and that was a lot of fun! It’s been freezing cold all week and the wind has been pretty bad too. I think it got down to around 15 degrees or something like that. I love it though! I'd rather be in the cold than the heat! (haha Gotcha :P )

   Anyhow, I am doing really well. This week has been full of miracles and interesting experiences. We had the opportunity to go on exchanges with the Spanish OKC 4 East elders and the Village South Elders this week. I was with Elder Mickelson on Tuesday and then with Elder Swensen on Friday. They are 2 of our District leaders who are awesome! We love them so much and enjoy working with them!

   On Friday night, I was with Elder Swensen in His area, Village South, and we had dinner with the Roper Family. They are super awesome and have 3 kids. They have a daughter named Summer who is about 7 years old. She is crazy! While we were giving the dinner message after dinner, she climbed up on the back of his chair and climbed on his shoulders super fast. The Sisters were talking and so he reached up to grab her and get her off. Mean while the sisters and Sister Roper were having a really spiritual conversation about missionary work. Sister Roper had no idea what her daughter was doing. Well, Summer proceeded to lock her legs around Elder Swensen's neck and cover his eyes. So he couldn't get her off! He stood up and stumbled into the other room where he continued to beat her against the couch to get her off. She was laughing and having a great time! Elder Swensen was freaking out because we're not supposed to play with kids at all. So then I looked in there and he couldn't get her off by beating her against the couch so he started rolling on the floor and going crazy! After about 30 seconds of that and all of us dying laughing, he got her off! She was clamped on there! It was a great time and we all got a good laugh out of it. After that, he came back to the table with a red face and out of breath. Funny Stuff!   

   Wednesday night, we got a call from a lady who had given us a referral to visit her friend. Her name is Kayleen. So Kayleen said that there was some weird stuff going on at her friend’s house( her name is Katherine and is currently an investigator) and asked us if we could go give a blessing on her home. So we called Katherine and she said that there was a demon in her house messing with her and that the power had partially gone out and all the lights were flickering and stuff.

  

   So we went over there, and there was a really creepy feeling in her house. She had hurt her back the day before and so we offered to give her a priesthood blessing for that. She said yes and so I gave her that blessing. There were lights flickering and her alarm kept shorting out and beeping funny and it was super creepy. I didn't feel comfortable at all in there. As I gave the blessing, there was something that was working on me really hard. I have never felt something trying to distract me so much. With a short prayer in my head I was able to finish the blessing.

   After that we went to kneel down and pray over her home. Elder Taggart was just about to start and the power went out completely. It was pitch black in her house and I think I got a little bit of a taste of what Joseph Smith might have felt like as he was trying to pray in the grove of trees. Something dark overwhelmed the room and I got really scared. I can honestly say that I've never been so scared in my life. Elder Taggart started the prayer and the whole time I was thinking, Heavenly Father, please protect us. Please protect us. Elder Taggart said the prayer and in the name of Jesus Christ, commanded anything unclean and evil to leave the home. Immediately, there was a calm feeling that entered the room and everything felt normal again. It was a really strange experience that I hope I never have to go through again. Satan was working really hard on her because she has accepted the invitation to baptism and is taking the lessons. The power of prayer is so real!!   

 We got a referral on Thursday for a man named Jay Hardy. His good friend works at BYU and referred him to us. Jay has just finished Rehab for alcoholism and wants to show God his commitment to change so he wants to join a church! We taught the restoration, invited him to be baptized, and set a baptismal date! He should be getting baptized on February 20th! We are so excited for him He is so prepared and ready to hear the Gospel! He can to church yesterday and loved it. He is such an awesome guy.

   It is amazing how God does His work and prepares people to hear the Gospel. I am so thankful to be a servant of Him in sharing that Gospel with others! If this Gospel isn't true I don't know what is. It has brought me, and millions of others nothing but happiness, peace, comfort, spirituality, knowledge, and a strengthened and increased testimony. I know that it can and will do that for anyone who chooses to accept it!

   I am so thankful for all the Love and Support that all y’all give me on a daily and weekly basis. I couldn't do this without you! This work is so important and I know this is where I need to be. Love y’all and have a great week!

    Elder Shane Walker  

 

Here’s a picture of Me and Elder Swensen

We played Settlers of Catan on Monday

and we said goodbye to the Shaw family whose moving to Hawaii!

1-4-16

Hey y’all! 

   This week has been a really good one for us. It warmed up a little bit and we were out spinning tires! We had the wonderful opportunity to meet with Janetta, one of our investigators, every day this week! She was supposed to get baptized last Saturday but she couldn’t stop smoking in time. So her Baptismal Date dropped and now we're working on her stopping smoking. She's doing real well and came to church this week. It was a little frustrating because last week church got cancelled because of bad weather. It’s kind of ridiculous if you ask me! But she came this week and loved it! It was a great week at church too! There were a lot of really amazing testimonies borne and insights shared. Our ward is so great here! I love the Quail Creek Ward! 

   So this week there was a sister in our ward who passed away. Her name was Lois McClung and she was 91 years old. She was the sweetest lady you'll ever meet and pretty much was already an angel! She passed away last Sunday and her memorial service was held on Saturday. We went and it was really good. We learned a lot about her and how sweet she was. All of her kids were there and only 1 of them was a member of the church. They all were so thankful for her and her being a faithful disciple of Christ all her life. She will be greatly missed!

   So there is a Senior Missionary couple that serves here that is in our ward and they took us and the North Elders to lunch afterwards at the Golden Trough. (Golden Corral) I don’t know if they have them there in Oregon because I hadn’t heard of them until I came out here to Oklahoma. It’s pretty much like Home Town Buffet but worse haha. I ate way too much and got really sick afterwards! I never threw up but I may as well have. I felt awful for the rest of the day! I slept it off and then my bowels were wrecked the next day. I’m never eating there again! 

   Anyhow, it was a good week and we are excited for all the 2016 holds!    

I hope that y’all had an amazing new year and that as you have set goals, you will be diligent in following through with them! Change is hard but so worth it! I love y’all and hope that y’all have a wonderful week! 

Elder Walker  

Gas is super cheap here and Me and Elder Taggart had a flannel competition. Who pulls it off better?? 

12-28-15

Hey yall!

   This week was an alright one for us. We seem to be at the bottom of peoples priority list right now. But hopefully this next week will be awesome!

   Christmas was great! Skyping with family was the best part! They are all doin good and still crazy as ever! I miss them! Anyhow, we spent Christmas day with the Harmon family, the Murphy's, and the Faheys. They are all awesome and spoiled us rotten! We got hooked up!

   The members here are so awesome I am so blessed to be in such an amazing ward! I am so thankful to all of you for your love and support this holiday season! I am so blessed!

   Things are goin good around here. It seems to be that winter finally decided to show up so Im excited about that! I love the cold weather! It rained. Then the rain froze. Then it was freezing rain, Then it was hail, then it was snow and now its just ice! Lots of ice! The roads aren't too bad but they were when we woke up this morning! I am so thankful for a 4 wheel drive truck to drive (: That pretty much means that we can drive anywhere through anything haha. Just kidding :P (that was a partially serious statement). But I love this time of year when everyone is happy and full of gratitude. Im thankful for the love and service of others. I am just so thankful for everything!!!  

   I love this gospel and all the blessings that it brings! There is a scripture that I believe applies very well at the start of this new year.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says:

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

As we all make new year resolutions, we need to know that God wont tempt us more than we can handle and that he provides a way for us to overcome those temptations. We can be strong and become better! Fulfilling our divine potential isn't easy but its so worth it! I wish yall and Happy New Year and a safe week! Love yall!

Elder Walker

There was a shooting right across from our apartment complex on Christmas Eve day.  There were cops everywhere!

12-21-15

Hey yall! 

   This week has been an interesting one for us! We had our Christmas Conference on Thursday and that was really amazing! We focused on planning and how to prepare people for baptism. I know that sounds kinda boring but was really good for us as missionaries! President Walkenhorst talked about what white symbolizes. It represents purity, peace, joy, holiness, a fresh start, and love. 

Isaiah 1:18 Says:

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 

Through Him we can become white and clean. 

Right now there is so much potential to be sharing the gospel but it seems like we cant visit enough people! I love sharing the gospel and especially talking about Jesus Christ and His birth this time of year! He changed the world on that wonderful day in those humble circumstances that were provided. The world would never be the same after that! I am so thankful for Him and His love for us and the sacrifice He performed in our behalf. 

John 3:16 - 17 Says:

 

   16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

   17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Isaiah 9:6 Says: 

   6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

During this wonderful time of year, let us remember why we celebrate. Let us remember what He has done for us and what we can become because of Him. As we feel the Love and the joy in the air this Christmas Season, Let our hearts be turned towards him in remembrance and gratitude. 

I pray that this finds everyone well and that Yall have a Merry Christmas! Love yall! 

Elder Shane Walker 

Here are the Muzingos! They are an awesome couple that serves in the mission office! Also Here is Elder Riley Jeffs from the Springfield Stake!  

12-14-15
Hey yall! 

   This week was an interesting one for us. Its been really warm all week. We were walkin round in short sleeves the whole time. On Tuesday it was 71 degrees outside. Ridiculous! Last year round this time I was freezin my tie off! But not this year! Its probably gonna hit real soon and get nasty but oh well (: I love the cold so I cant wait! Nothin much happened this week. We had almost all of our appointments fall through which is a little frustrating but oh well. We were able to meet some really cool people though! 

   We knocked on this one ladies door and she opened it up and said that she didnt have time for us. Then we asked if we could say a quick prayer with her. She said yes and came on out to the front porch! We prayed with her and then she opened up and started talking to us about Christmas! We talked to her about the #ASaviorIsBorn video that the church put out and it was really cool. Right before we were about to leave she said that we needed to be careful because satan was out among us. Him and his demons are people we see walking in the stores and down the street and we dont even know it. Now whether or not thats true I dont know but I wouldnt doubt it! We tried to set up a return appt. and she said if you can catch me! I hate it when people say that! Anyhow, we walked off her driveway and there was this guy walking down the street with a puppy. We stopped and talked to him and he was pretty cool! He was native american and was looking for this puppy's owner. We gave him a #ASaviorIsBorn card and he said thanks and went to leave. I said what was your name? And he turned around and shook my hand looked me in the eye and said, "Lucifer". Then he walked away! I was so freaked out after that! I dont know what that was all about but it was really strange that we met him right after we just barely got done talking about satan being among us with that lady! 

   There are some interesting people out there and they all need the Gospel! So dont be afraid to open your mouths to those that you come in contact with. Carry a few pass along cards with you, and keep a Book of Mormon in yer car. You never know when yer gonna need it! 

   Love yall and hope that you have a wonderful week!

Elder Walker 

12-7-15

Hey y’all!

   This week has been amazing for us! We have seen so many miracles! But first of all I will start out by saying that it is December now and I think that Oklahoma hasn't quite figured that out yet. It has been over 60 degrees every day this week. I haven't even had to wear gloves or a beanie or anything since the ice storm! It’s crazy! Right now it’s sunny and 58 outside! Anyhow, I’m waiting for the cold weather to hit like a ton of bricks pretty soon. We're due for it!

   On a more spiritual note, we had some amazing things happen this week! We have an investigator (or eternigator) Janetta Seagraves, who we have been teaching since I got here. She has been meeting with the missionaries for over 3 years now! She has a smoking problem and thinks that God doesn't care if she smokes a cigarette here or there. She is a super sweet lady but has a hard time understanding the commandments. So we took it to the next level. We call up the big man. All 7 feet of him. P-dog. The Main man, President Walkenhorst. We scheduled an interview for them for this last Thursday. She called us on Thursday morning and told us that she couldn't do it. She was going to start going to another Church with her husband Seth (Who is inactive) and son Gabe who is 2. But Elder Taggart testified hard core and convinced her to go through with it!  So she did and it was amazing! The Janetta that walked out of that interview was a different Janetta that walked in. I don't know what President said to her but it worked. She committed to stop smoking by the end of the year and she committed to come to church every Sunday from now on! We have tried so hard to get her to come and she wouldn't do it! We don't know what He said in there but it worked! We went over the next night to get the rest of the family on board. They all agreed and they all came to church on Sunday! They haven't been to church as a family in years! And Sister Seagraves even bore her testimony! It was so powerful!

   I am so thankful for this Gospel and I know it to be true! I hope that everyone is well and that y’all are pondering on how you can be better every day! Love y’all!

Elder Walker

11-30-15

Howdy y’all!

   This week has been an interesting one for us. We started off this week by helping a guy in our ward move some stuff around. Turns out that this guy is a hoarder. He hoards lawn mowers and cars. His house is full of lawn mowers and his yard is full of mowers and cars. He is losing his house so we went over there to help him gather a few things up before he gets kicked out. He had us take some boards in his back yard and load them onto his friends trailer so that he could have them put into storage. So it turns out that we were helping a hoarder hoard some more! He has a 1950s jaguar in his shed that is all dusty and hasn’t been driven in 40+ years. Some guy offered him $22,000 for it if he could clear a path in his yard and get it out onto the street. But nope he didn’t want to, so now he’s losing it. It’s a super nice old car too! His loss... 

   Then on Thanksgiving we had a blast! We had our ward turkey bowl that morning and it was interesting. There were 8 missionaries that showed up and like 6 other people. There were some cheap hits, some swearing, some tantrums thrown, some screaming and yelling, some cheap calls, some sweet touchdowns, some people that got hurt and some toddler behavior all thrown into the mix! (None of that came from the missionaries by the way. Honest) I was thinking, hmm we are all adults here. Let’s act like it! It’s just a flippin pickup game of football! Get over it! But it was fun none the less!   

  After that we had a meeting with some other zone leaders the Sister Training leaders too. That was to plan for our stake missionary correlation meeting with the Stake Presidency and the Mission President for that coming Sunday. It went really well and we got lots done! Then we went to eat some thanksgiving meal! OH MAN did I stuff my face! We had dinner with the Farrars and with the Murphy Families. It was so much fun!     

  It was raining and pretty warm that morning. I think that it was like 65 that morning and throughout the day it got colder. Friday it was in the low 30s and raining. Freezing rain! It was cold enough to snow but too humid so it just rains and freezes when it hits the ground. It got colder and colder until Friday night when things were getting pretty icy. We were on exchanges and I was with an elder from Arizona so he was freaking out! When we woke up on Saturday it was like a war zone outside! There were trees down everywhere and branches down on power lines and all sorts of crazy stuff! There was half of this big tree that fell on this car in our complex. The car belonged to a lady who wasn’t very nice so we thought that was funny! The roads weren’t too bad but they were still a little scary! Anyhow, we drove back to Edmond to exchange back and made it safe and sound. Then we spent the afternoon helping brother Murphy clean up his trees and stuff. He couldn’t get his chainsaw running so I fixed it for him. It was a fun day! 

   To sum it all up we had a pretty crazy week! It’s a time to be thankful and remember what this season is all about! It’s a time to remember that Our Savior was born to save us. Not that Walmart is having a huge sale. The Church put out a new Video called A Savior is Born. It’s at christmas.mormon.org so go check it out! It is very inspirational and we should take the challenge it extends. Discover why we need a Savior and discover what He saves us from! Love y’all and have a great week! 

Elder Walker

The turkey bowl

After the stuffing

I hope they had good insurance

11-23-15

Hey Y’all!

            This week has been a real good one for us! We were able to get lots done and meet some really awesome people! It’s finally cold outside! It’s been in the 30s and 40s all week so I've been loving it!

We me this Buddhist guy by the name of Patrick Morris who is super cool! He is a culinary arts professor and is the nicest guy you've ever met! We were talking to him about being confident and optimistic. He is the most optimistic man I have ever met! He was so happy and didn’t have a worry in the world! After we talked with him we felt so happy and motivated to go! It was a really awesome experience! I hope that I can be as optimistic as him some day! We might have him come and give us some training on how to be optimistic and confident at our next Specialized Training Meeting in December. I know that there are tons of really amazing people out there that are not members of our church that make a huge difference in the world and I am so thankful for the chance I have to meet them and work with them! 

            Other than that we had our STM for November last Monday and it went really well. We talked about baptism and why it’s so important! We talked about the Priesthood authority that it requires and the Gift of the Holy Ghost as well. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is the most important and amazing Gift that we can receive! The promise that we will have the Holy Ghost to be with us as long as we are living worthy of it! What a blessing! He is there to guide us and direct us in our lives and lead us in the way that the Lord Himself would if He were here. That gift can only be conferred by the Laying on of Hands by someone who holds the proper authority from God as it talks about in Acts 8. It is amazing to know that we are being blessed every day by our loving Heavenly Father and that He is always aware of everything that we do and everything that we go through. I am so thankful for all that He does for me and all the Blessings and miracles that I am able to be a part of! I hope that y’all have an amazing week and remember to look for and enjoy the little things because that is where we find the most joy! Love y’all! 

Elder Walker 

So we took this picture last night and decided that this sums up our companionship! He’s a hipster and I’m a redneck and we get along great! 

11-16-15

Hey Y’all,

   This week has been a real good one for us! We are doing really good! The weather has finally started to turn and its cold now! About time! I love the Cold! This week it was almost 80 degrees in the beginning of the week and down into the 40s and 50s by the end! The work here is finally picking up. We have found several new people to teach and the ones we are teaching now are getting more solid! We have proved a point this week to an atheist who we have been teaching named Paul. He a super cool guy and I’m happy that we are finally getting across to him! We were reading the story of Enos with him about prayer and forgiveness. Then I asked him from his perspective how he would go about receiving forgiveness! He said he didn't know! So we are getting him to start thinking finally! Also we are teaching a Protestant Pastor named Rod and we got him thinking this week too talking bout exercising our faith! Things are improving and progressing here in the Crick! We had the opportunity to go on 2 exchanges this week. We did one with the APs and one with the Edmond 4th Elders. I went with AP Elder Debenham to Moore on Tuesday and then I stayed in Quail Creek with Elder Anderson on Friday! They are both so awesome! I’m so thankful that I can serve with all these amazing missionaries!

   So today we are having our zone P day and we are all getting together at the stake center to play some sports! Then after that we are having an STM (specialized training meeting) as a zone and me and Elder Taggart are teaching that! We are talking about baptism and Beware of Pride! It’s going to be really good! We received a lot of inspiration as we prepared this training over the last few weeks so I’m really excited!

   This week I have been reading in The Book of Mormon in the book of Mosiah about the People of Limhi. Ammon is teaching them and Share something with them that I love! In verse 33 he says,

" But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in Him, and serve Him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, He will, according to His own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage."

So here he says very plainly that if we turn to the Lord and trust Him, He will deliver us out of our own bondage. Whatever that may be! I love that the Lord is willing to help us as long as we are willing to serve Him and do what He asks of us. He has given us everything and all He asks in return, is that we keep His commandments!

   I am so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who loves us all individually and hears our prayers! I love y’all and hope that y’all have a wonderful week!

Elder Walker

11-9-15

Hey Y’all!

   This week has been a crazy one for us. It rained super hard a few days then it was hot some other days then it was freezing for the rest of them! There was one day where we were outside and it was pouring! I was walking in from the truck and there was a really bright flash of lightening and Immediately a HUGE clap of thunder! It was louder than a gunshot and then a bunch of car alarms went off and it was pretty funny! It scared the snot out of me though. Because I was standing in the middle of a parking lot with an umbrella! I thought I was next! 

   Other than that, this week has been a little better. We were able to teach this guy from Iran! His name is Matt and he converted in Iran from Muslim to Christian. When the government found out, they kicked him out of the country so he came to America where he could be a Christian! He's been here for about a year now and has been through a lot. It’s kind of hard to understand him but he's a really awesome guy! His first language is Farsi. It’s a Persian language spoken mostly in Iran. But we have been working with him and he is super excited to learn more! 

   We are also teaching a guy by the name of Rod Mills. He used to be a protestant pastor! I might have mentioned him a few times but things are interesting with him. The Sister Missionaries in the Village Ward had a baptism so we invited him to come to that and he came! He loved it too! We'll get him one of these days!

   On Sunday we had a Regional Conference Broadcast! It was super good! I wish I could tell you everything that was talked about! Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles presided, while Lynn G. Robbins, Lawerence E. Corbridge of the Quorum of the Seventy, and Sister Linda S. Reeves of the General Relief Society Presidency. Elder Robbins spoke about simplifying life and how we need to cut unneeded things out of our lives. He said that Simplicity is the ultimate Sophistication! So true! Elder Corbridge spoke about our discipleship of Christ and Sister Reeves spoke about repentance. She talked about what it feels like before you have repented and then the feelings of relief and freedom after you repent. Then Elder Oaks spoke about a ton of things! He talked about mostly family history work and missionary work! It was really good! I Wish I could say more but I took tons of notes! Things are great here and I wish I time today to respond to everyone but I don’t and I’m sorry! Next week though I will! Love y’all and have an amazing week! 

Elder Walker