Zach sent this yesterday and I just found it in my email!  Looks like he ran into Jacob Secrist, who was a great friend in Moses Lake!

Sister Tisdale!!

Heather Tisdale, who served her mission here, was in Smithfield last Saturday and got to take Zach and Elder Ambrose to lunch!!  Thank you Heather!!

June 17, 2014

I did hear that USA won. that is good! Honestly it's hard to not hear about the World Cup. But I still like hearing about it in emails too.

So not much has happened lately of note. We've taught a lot of lessons to those basically golden investigators from before, but that's about it. I have not much exciting stuff to report. Sorry.

Also, here's what you can do. I don't need a chess set or anything like that. Send me mandolin strings! That would honestly be so cool. I can't tell you how much I would absolutely love being constantly sent mandolin strings haha. We ate at this members house the other day. It was an older couple, late sixties I think. I'm kinda famous in the mission for playing mandolin now, so he recognized me and was like, "Elder Walker, I have something to show you!" He proceeded to pull out a legit 120 year old mandolin that was probably the coolest thing I have ever seen. He said that his grandpa played it as background music to silent movies a waaaay long time ago, like that was his job. So that was cool. I got to play it and it was the coolest thing ever.

Elder Ambrose and I arranged Jesus, Lover of My Soul for the fireside we are in. We harmonize and he plays guitar and I play mandolin. It's pretty cool I have to say. We have similar ears (musically at least) and so we've found it pretty easy to arrange cool stuff. 

Welp... That's all I got for now. Don't do drugs, stay in school. One day I'll remember to send pictures.

-Elder Walker

Ethan is a 15 year old kid we are teaching who is super amazing. we get along super well and love all the same sports. haha. But he is getting baptized on july 5th and I am so excited for that!!!

June 10, 2014

Ok so for real, buy me that tie and send it to me haha.

So surprise surprise, transfers were today and my trainer and I are staying in Smithfield. Seeing as how we were straight up told that we would be staying for two transfers the first day we got together, it wasn't much of an eventful time. We will just go back to work! 

So crazy crazy crazy thing happened. So cool here it is.  So here in our area we've been struggling to find nonmembers who are receptive to being taught by us. We were working so hard and fasting and praying, but nothing seemed to work. It got a little discouraging, to the point that we even had our zone leaders come with us one day to give us feedback on how we were working and what we can improve on. They said that honestly it's just a hard area and that no matter how much we try to bring the Spirit, if the people refuse to listen we can't change that. So we just kept working and trying. But one day, completely randomly we got a referral from a member about this 15 year old guy who had gone to scout camp with his friends. While he was there, he felt the Spirit so strong that he even bore his testimony and said that he really felt the church was true. Apparently he asked his friends if he could take the missionary lessons. So we literally drove like 80 mph to go see him ASAP. He answered the door and said, "Elders! I'm so glad you're here! I want to get baptized so I can go on a mission too!" My companion and I were just kind of like.... WOW ok we can do that!!! Haha it was so crazy but sooo cool! I know that if we have faith and ALWAYS work diligently and happily, no matter how unsuccessful we are, eventually God puts people in our path that he has prepared. I know that the people will not always be as prepared as this example (haha but I wish), but it's still a great testimony builder. 

I got sick again last week! I don't know why I keep getting sick!!! It's so annoying. We had to spend a whole day just in the apartment because I could not stop throwing up. So yeah... that happened. But it's ok. I actually read a suuuuuper cool church history book that was all deep and interesting. And then I read every single Bruce R. McConkie talk from General Conference ever. So that was fun. I love Bruce R. McConkie. And James E. Talmage. They are like, my spirit bros. Every time I read something from them it's just like yep yep yep this guy knows. They are so so super cool I can't even handle it. One super old guy in my area always answers the question "how are you doing?" by saying "Not as good as Bruce R. McConkie, but still good." True story. I really really desperately wanna read McConkie's book Mormon Doctrine, because apparently it's just insane and crazy. But I can't find it anywhere. We saw another book at Deseret Book called The Lincoln Theory. I didn't buy it because obviously I cannot afford it, but I read a little bit of it and it sounds SO COOL. Cole and Dad should definitely find it and read it because it sounds like something they would love.

So sad thing now. The mission changed the rules for the musical fireside, and now families are not allowed to go. Sorry. That's a major bummer for me too because I was excited. Like unless somehow your family ends up living in the mission in either Ogden or Logan, they can't go. Sad day.

I love my mandolin. It makes me so happy. 

I knew you would like a new phone haha. There was nothing really old and bad about it, but the new ones are just better. 

So, my siblings still don't write me letters. That should change. All four of you. WRITE ME A LETTER SO I DONT HAVE SO MUCH RAGE!!!

I love you all and I miss Krispy Kreme!!!

-Elder Walker

Jacob 6:12

ANyways, that's all I have for now. Let me know if you guys have any questions or stuff. 

More Pictures From Members

This kind member wanted me to see pictures of Elder Walker in action!!!

June 3, 2014

Anyways, I'm back!!!! Crazy awesome things happened today on my pday. Long story short, I now am the proud owner of a mandolin!!! We were exploring pawn shops today and I found one that was awesome and had a case that I wanted too, and suuuuuper cheap so I did it. Crazy awesome steal, and now I have a mandolin. That makes me so happy. The owners of the shop were members as well and so they gave me a ridiculous discount too. We also went crazy at Desert Book and everyone in the district bought a new CD there, so we now have tons of Tabernacle Choir, Piano Guys, Alex Boye, all this good stuff. Fun fun fun times. Can you believe I have almost been out two months!!!

I think my favorite chapter in the book of mormon is now 2 nephi 4. It's so good. It ranks right up there with Jacob 6. Every time I read 2 Nephi 4 I always come away feeling better than I did before, regardless of whether I am feeling super happy or a little down. It's a great time.

So tonight is my first lesson with an actual person who is not technically a member of the church. That's exciting. It feels weird when i look back and realize that literally everything that I have done lesson-wise the past two months has been with less active people. So crazy. I hope you are all doing well! Write to me again because it's the best thing ever to get letters, I have so many stamps and return address stickers I havent got to use yet... Hint hint! :)

-Elder Walker

Jacob 6:12

PS to Eric

We still go to the gym, usually 4 or 5 times a week. I used to be really good at working the whole time, but now I'm realizing I just literally don't know what to do when I'm there so I just kind of.... curl haha. So a routine would be great. I can also do a little leg stuff though so that's fine. 

But yeah no I don't need a bike right now. I will email you guys ASAP if I ever do, but I'll be staying here in Smithfield with my trainer for this next transfer and we have a car, so no need for a bike for the next six weeks.

We are actually doing a musical fireside in the three weeks as an entire mission in Logan. And technically, anyone is allowed to go to it, even family members. So if you guys find yourselves in Logan or Ogden this month... You can go!

Anyways that's about it for now. Tell my poopy siblings to write to me more!

May 27, 2014

So I'll start off with the craziest story. Yesterday we ate at a barbecue at a member's home for Memorial Day. They are the Blotter family. I'm not sure if that's the most correct spelling but oh well. Anyways, Grandpa Blotter and I were talking and he mentioned that he served his mission in Switzerland. I said hey a lot of my family are from Switzerland and have the name Bartschi! And he's all, really no kidding? I know a Jeff Bartschi in Bear Lake really well. So I said funny story, I'm probably related to him. So then Grandpa Blotter calls up Jeff Bartschi, has me talk to him on the phone. Long story short, he's the son of the brother of my great grandpa, and is the same age and grew up with my Uncle Hal. Crazy small world.

Another funny story. Elder Ambrose and I are now the proud owners of a sword. Pretty cool right??? We were doing service for a family and moving a bunch of old plywood and things in their yard, it was super hot and it took forever. So the father of the family felt bad, and said "I want you elders to have this. If you say no, it's going to the DI, so take it now free or buy it later." And then, he handed us a real legit sword. So crazy! Today we are gonna get some rust remover and clean it up, but it's still so cool. I will send some more pictures of it later next week. For some reason none of the computers at the library have SD card slots, so until we email somewhere else I can't really send anything off my camera.

That cardboard cutout of me is soooo creepy looking haha. I didn't even recognize myself. Really weird, especially to see myself with honors cords, because sheesh I was nowhere near getting honors for anything!

Ahhhh that's about all I have. Sorry. Not much to say this week. Honestly I'm really tired. We've been doing a lot of service outside in the hot hot heat and my body is really worn out. I will try to write more next week. I love you all, even when you're poopy and don't write me letters!!!

-Elder Walker

Jacob 6:12

Elder Ambrose took this picture of me being abnormally excited to answer emails. Hope you are all feeling fantastic!

PS

Sorry mother... I never followed up on my ankle. So here's the situation. There's a physical therapist couple in my area who has checked me out and given me some good advice and help. I now walk, and most likely will walk for the foreseeable future with a slight limp.

It's not super noticeable but it for sure is there, at least I can feel it. It's really easy to get sore still. I can do a lot more physical activity now, like sports and things. However, it's only for short amounts, usually 15-20 minutes. So I try and get as much activity on it as possible to build up the muscle again, because it basically got destroyed. By the end of the night when we go to bed I am always really sore and it's definitely painful. But, it's not bad enough that I can't walk or work. It's still usable and good enough.

It's just really frustrating and annoying. I wish it hadn't happened for sure, but I'm trying to just make it work and ignore it. It's the type of injury that I will be dealing with honestly for the entirety of my mission, and probably after as well, which sucks but oh well!

The harder I work the less it hurts