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

11-2-15

Hey Y’all! 

   This week was an alright one for us. Elder Taggart got sick with the flu on Wednesday so that wasn’t fun! He was sick until Saturday! But that’s alright. It rained on Friday so much! It rained from sunup to sundown and the streets were all flooded! It was pretty bad! But it was my turn to drive that day so I had a blast (: 

   This week was a rough one for missionary work. We had one of our most solid investigators drop us. Shalimar called us on Saturday morning and said that she had talked to her pastor. He had told her that we were false prophets and that we were of the Devil. Then she proceeded to tell us all this other stuff that she got off the internet that wasn’t true. She said that she didn’t want to meet with us anymore and that she felt that we were leading her astray.

   Most pastors, preacher’s, ministers, whatever you want to call them, hate the missionaries here. Because we convert all their people which means they lose money. It’s all about money! I don’t want to sound judgmental but salvation seems to be all about money out here. Why would any 2 people who believe in Jesus Christ and are trying to get to the same place, bash and degrade the other one? We all want to live with God again. We should be working together to get there! I’m sorry if I have sounded offensive but I am very frustrated. We as missionaries don’t degrade or tear down others beliefs! We only build on the foundation that people already have and help them to strengthen their belief and testimony even more!

   I am so thankful for this gospel and all that it has done for me! I love y’all and hope that you have an amazing week! 

Elder Walker

10-26-15

Hey Y’all! 

            This week was a pretty good one for us. The Lord has blessed us with new people to teach and with cooler weather! I've missed the cold! Summer is so hot and humid here I’m ready for a change! I wish that it could have been like this all summer long! It’s down into the 50's and 60's now so that’s nice! 

            This week we were able to find 2 new investigators: Eric and Wendy. Eric we found by talking to him on the street. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and how it can change your life. He loved it and invited us back to teach him more! He is an Army Vet who served several tours in Iraq and has a really cool boy named Billy who is 4 and is awesome! 

            Wendy actually referred herself and requested a visit by the missionaries and a Book of Mormon. She said that she is searching for where she is supposed to be in life and wants to know more about our church! She said that she loved the little bit we taught her and wants to be baptized! So exciting!

The Lord is blessing us with people to teach who are prepared and ready to hear the Gospel! These people are all God’s children and he Loves them so much and wants them to be happy! I love teaching the Gospel! 

I am doing pretty well. Transfers are this week Elder Taggart and I are staying together but we are getting a new set of sister missionaries in our zone. They are getting shot gunned into the Edmond 2 ward! Then my MTC companion elder Morton is going to be the new DL (district leader) in Edmond as well! Things are going great here and I love it here in Quail Creek!

            I’m sorry to make this so short but we have lots to do today! I love y’all and hope you have an amazing week! 

Elder Walker

Oct 19th

Hey y’all,

   This week has been a little better than the last few. We have seen miracles though! We were able to find 2 new people to teach and had some other wonderful things happen! Most of our appointments still fell through but that happens sometimes. We did lots of biking this week.

The weather is amazing right now. It’s been in the 70s and mid 60's all week and it perfect! These Indian summers as they call them here are amazing! I love it! It’s the middle of October and its perfect outside!

This week has been a busy one! We had exchanges on Tuesday with the village south elders, a district leader council on Wednesday, and exchanges on Friday with the Edmond 4th elders then I get asked to give a talk on Sunday! Whew! Glad this week is over! With only 2 weeks left in the transfer, things are flying by way to fast. It needs to slow down... It’s crazy that time can fly by so fast. I never thought it would be possible. A lot of my friends and fellow missionaries are going home next week and it makes me sad! But the work continues on! I hope that we are able to have an amazing week like we have planned already! I’m looking forward to it. 

   This week I have been studying a lot about how we have been given many responsibilities.

In Luke 16:10-12,  

10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? 

It talks about how if we aren’t faithful a little bit or a lot we are still unfaithful. Also if we can’t be trusted with the things we have been given why could we expect God to give us more? Something to think about though. Can God trust you with the things that you already have? Can He trust you to give you more?

Hope that y’all have a great week! Love ya!

Elder Walker

Me and my companion Elder Taggart!

Oct 12th

Hey y’all,

   This week has been a hard one for us. We had the opportunity to teach several good lessons but no matter what we did, most of our appointments fell through. We have definitely seen miracles this week and have seen the atonement work as well. I don’t know why but I've been feeling a little down the last week or 2 and that didn’t help anything, but that happens every now and then. It only matters that you get up one more time than you fall. Cinch that saddle up and keep on going.

I am so thankful for this gospel and the peace and the support that it brings. I am also so thankful for you all and the love and support that you give to me as well. This week was hard for me but that’s not going to stop me from pushing forward and working hard. I know this Gospel is true and it has blessed my life so much! I love giving others the opportunity to enjoy that peace and comfort and that knowledge of God’s love and plan for us.

Sorry to make this so short but life is busy right now. I hope that y’all have an amazing week and don’t forget how much God loves us. After all, He did send His only son to be sacrificed for us so that we could return to live with Him again. I know that to be true and I will be eternally grateful for that. Never forget what our Savior did for us, that infinite and eternal sacrifice. I love y’all and hope that you have an amazing week! 

Elder Walker

Oklahoma sunset

Octber 5th

Hey yall!

   Holy smokes! One year has come and gone faster than a twister rippin through Moore Oklahoma!

On October 1st I hit my 1 year mark. It was a time for me to pause and reflect on my mission and what I have accomplished and become. In that year I have had 4 baptisms, 9 companions, trained 2 missionaries, served in 4 areas, been a District Leader and a Zone Leader, got pretty good at disc golf and basketball, rode the snot out of my bike and gained only 7 pounds (: I have loved every second of it! From the -10 degrees to 110 degrees and everywhere in between! But now that I am on the downhill slide, I have thought a lot about what lies ahead.

The mission as a whole right now is really young so I am strengthening my resolve to be the best example I can be. I know there is a good time ahead of me and I’m so excited for it! I have had so much love and support from all y’all and I have grown so much. Especially in my testimony! I thought I had a strong one when I entered the mission field but now it’s even stronger! 

Thank you to everyone who has been there to support me both financially and spiritually. It means a lot to have that kind of support. There are missionaries that don’t have that support at all and I don’t know how they do it. This work is hard but so rewarding!

I am so thankful for everything I have learned and the people I have met and taught. I know that this Church is the one and only true Church on the face of this earth. That is a bold claim but if that wasn’t true I would be wasting my time as a missionary. I know that God loves all of His children so much more than we will ever be able to comprehend. I know that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God and that it is inspired scripture written by ancient prophets and translated and brought forth by the Lords Prophet Joseph Smith. This work is so important and I am so blessed to be a part of it! It is the most important work that can be done here on earth! 

Other than that I am doing well! Zone Leader life is insanely crazy and I’m still getting used to it but I’m surviving (:

General conference was amazing and I am so thankful for a living prophet and apostles who receive guidance and revelation from God and direct us in His ways! I hope that y’all have an amazing week and don’t forget to pray! 

Elder Walker  

Sept 28th

Hey y’all,

   This week has been a pretty crazy one for us. We had amazing weather though which made it super nice! We got out on the bikes just because we can (: I like biking even though we have a truck it’s nice to feel the cool Oklahoma breeze. It’s officially fall now and its really cooling down fast.

This week we had the chance to visit with lots of different people. Ranging from less actives to investigators to active members. We have really been trying to focus on member missionary work! It is the most effective way to do this work! It’s hard to get it started but once it’s going it’s going! 

   On Sunday morning we had a meeting with our stake president and counselors, and our mission president to discuss missionary work in the stake. The Zone Leaders in the stake are in charge of the meeting so it was a little intimidating because there were some important people there. So it was me and Elder Taggart from Quail Creek zone and Elder Beus and Elder Quijada from the OKC Zone. Also the Sister Training Leaders, Sister Beltaton and Sister Garner were there. We discussed member missionary work with them and made some plans to spread that type of work across the whole stake. It was really awesome to be able to counsel with all those church leaders and correlate our work with theirs. We are striving to be a stake of invitation by having the members invite their friends to visit with the missionaries. It is the only way this work can be done!

I hope that all of you have the courage to invite someone to partake of the Gospel. General Conference is coming up this weekend and would be a wonderful opportunity to invite someone! So do it!

All is well here and I am loving being in my new area with Elder Taggart! He is an awesome missionary!

Remember that the success is in the invitation! The most they can do is say no! When you have invited, you have done your job and fulfilled your responsibility as a member of the Lords church!

Love y’all and hope that you have a week full of invitations! 

Elder Walker