To all,
Well things have been just super great lately! We got some wonderful news from one of our investigators! She has had a really hard time mustering up the courage to tell her family that she was meeting with us the "Mormon missionaries" and this Christmas they all came into town to see her!! And she ended up telling her brother, and he was so proud of her!! And she was so happy because she did it! It is soooo SWEET!! Just to hear about how happy she was! Her faith is growing so quickly and it is such a blessing to be a part of her growing testimony! That is so great!!
I enjoyed writing the letter that was read on Sunday.. Sorry for those who were waiting for it. Sorry to worry you. It really felt so good to write and to reflect on some of the great experiences I have had here on the mission. I am so grateful for so many things. I know this church is true and that Jesus is the Savior. Thank you for your love and I love you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Elder Walter
I would like to add my two cents here, we talked with Tommy yesterday and he sounds really good. He is beginning to think about what he is going to do after the mission is over but at the same time knows that is focus is really on San Antonio. Steve and I both went to church yesterday to hear his letter and the 7 others that are out right now. We really are proud of the young man that he has become and thank each of you for your support and love. I know he appreciates it as well.
Brenda
Friday, December 30, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Merry Christmas
Hello,
Tommy was very short on time this week and was unable to write an email to all this week. He sounds like he is extremely busy and has been called to be the Assistant to the President. I am unsure of what he is doing exactly but I know that he is involved in meetings with the new district leaders and orientation for the new missionaries. I wish I could give you more news but just know that he is doing fabulous and is grateful for all the support.
I would also like to say thanks for your support. Merry Christmas everyone!
Brenda
Tommy was very short on time this week and was unable to write an email to all this week. He sounds like he is extremely busy and has been called to be the Assistant to the President. I am unsure of what he is doing exactly but I know that he is involved in meetings with the new district leaders and orientation for the new missionaries. I wish I could give you more news but just know that he is doing fabulous and is grateful for all the support.
I would also like to say thanks for your support. Merry Christmas everyone!
Brenda
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Another Busy Week
To all!!
Gosh what a week! Just a bunch of crazy cool miracles! In the end we have a baptism of a family this coming week in Las Palmas. It is great, also we have made significant strides with another! Things are really looking great!
I have so much to say! But I really don't have the time! The work is true and it is a privilege to serve God and to see His miracles! So great!
Have a great week!
Elder Walter
Gosh what a week! Just a bunch of crazy cool miracles! In the end we have a baptism of a family this coming week in Las Palmas. It is great, also we have made significant strides with another! Things are really looking great!
I have so much to say! But I really don't have the time! The work is true and it is a privilege to serve God and to see His miracles! So great!
Have a great week!
Elder Walter
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Thanks Be Given
To all!
We had such a great week a lot of cool miracles! Really to top it off, we had a meeting with President Jones on Friday. Man I am so grateful for him in my life. He is such a great example that faith and obedience will really bring the most happiness and success in life. I have always looked at him and thought how successful. He is a normal person and he has the same, actually many many many more challenges and difficulty in life, but it never seems so. I have actually met many many people like that. A lot of you are in Wilsonville. But President Jones I have just realized has always given us the formula to find that "success" Be believing, faithful, worthy and obedient and then when the opportunity arises, go out and work hard knowing that you have done all those things. Since that kind of clicked on Friday I have done that and I have seen the success. I know that is a true priciple in every aspect and phase of life. Have a wonderful week and know that there is a missionary in San Antonio, Texas who cares for you.
Elder Walter
We had such a great week a lot of cool miracles! Really to top it off, we had a meeting with President Jones on Friday. Man I am so grateful for him in my life. He is such a great example that faith and obedience will really bring the most happiness and success in life. I have always looked at him and thought how successful. He is a normal person and he has the same, actually many many many more challenges and difficulty in life, but it never seems so. I have actually met many many people like that. A lot of you are in Wilsonville. But President Jones I have just realized has always given us the formula to find that "success" Be believing, faithful, worthy and obedient and then when the opportunity arises, go out and work hard knowing that you have done all those things. Since that kind of clicked on Friday I have done that and I have seen the success. I know that is a true priciple in every aspect and phase of life. Have a wonderful week and know that there is a missionary in San Antonio, Texas who cares for you.
Elder Walter
11/28/11
To all,
Hello this was such a fantastic week! A lot of blessings through diligent work. I love working in this area and with my companion here. Our mission president, President Jones, has recently been talking to us about binding ourselves to our goal. Binding ourselves to act that we might accomplish those goals. This aspect has helped us out so much, and it showed last week.
With that idea there are really two parts to having success in this. The first is setting inspired goals. Not goals determined from expectations that others have for you, or goals that you think people would like to hear but goals from God that you are committed to accomplishing.
And the next part is the doing and the accomplishing of the goal. This is the hardest part hahaha. Because it takes a lot of effort. But as we bind ourselves to act, knowing that God has set a goal for us to accomplish we will accomplish it. The completion of this will stretch us and we will be better and we will see the hand of God more in our lives. We will become the people that God wants us to be. And we will accomplish more in our lives.
Having said this, the actual miracle isn't in the completion of the goal itself. But it is what we learned along the way. We can feel more accomplishment here than in the result, and regardless of the completion of the goal it is our effort we put into it that matters.
I can honestly say as I have bound myself to my goals, I have become a better missionary and it is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Hope all is well! Happy Thanksgiving and Christmas music dance parties!
Elder Walter
Hello this was such a fantastic week! A lot of blessings through diligent work. I love working in this area and with my companion here. Our mission president, President Jones, has recently been talking to us about binding ourselves to our goal. Binding ourselves to act that we might accomplish those goals. This aspect has helped us out so much, and it showed last week.
With that idea there are really two parts to having success in this. The first is setting inspired goals. Not goals determined from expectations that others have for you, or goals that you think people would like to hear but goals from God that you are committed to accomplishing.
And the next part is the doing and the accomplishing of the goal. This is the hardest part hahaha. Because it takes a lot of effort. But as we bind ourselves to act, knowing that God has set a goal for us to accomplish we will accomplish it. The completion of this will stretch us and we will be better and we will see the hand of God more in our lives. We will become the people that God wants us to be. And we will accomplish more in our lives.
Having said this, the actual miracle isn't in the completion of the goal itself. But it is what we learned along the way. We can feel more accomplishment here than in the result, and regardless of the completion of the goal it is our effort we put into it that matters.
I can honestly say as I have bound myself to my goals, I have become a better missionary and it is something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Hope all is well! Happy Thanksgiving and Christmas music dance parties!
Elder Walter
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!
To all!
Hope all is well! This was a great week! It should be a lot of fun this week! We improved a lot from last week and this next week we hope to even double our production! It will take a lot of effort, but we have a good plan to carry it out! So we will see what happens! It should be good!
This week for Thanksgiving we will be doing our part to pass by all the members in our wards or congregation to share with them our gratitude for our Savior and His ministry. I am indeed very grateful for the Savior and for the what the knowledge of His existence has done to change my life forever. It has given me purpose and direction in life and has allowed me the opportunity to reach the vast potential I have, as we all do. I am grateful for what He was willing to go through to give us that. I am grateful for my family. For loving parents and sisters, and for the giant influence they have been in my life. I love you all and am very grateful for your love. take care and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Elder Walter
Hope all is well! This was a great week! It should be a lot of fun this week! We improved a lot from last week and this next week we hope to even double our production! It will take a lot of effort, but we have a good plan to carry it out! So we will see what happens! It should be good!
This week for Thanksgiving we will be doing our part to pass by all the members in our wards or congregation to share with them our gratitude for our Savior and His ministry. I am indeed very grateful for the Savior and for the what the knowledge of His existence has done to change my life forever. It has given me purpose and direction in life and has allowed me the opportunity to reach the vast potential I have, as we all do. I am grateful for what He was willing to go through to give us that. I am grateful for my family. For loving parents and sisters, and for the giant influence they have been in my life. I love you all and am very grateful for your love. take care and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Elder Walter
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
New Area!.... well sort of
To all,
Well hope all is well! This week in Walmart we heard some great Christmas music... Hahah wasn't ready for that, but that proves it truly is never too early for Christmas music! Well this week I was transferred, still in San Antonio, and I was moved back to like the same area as the "South side" haha, where I used to serve before my last area. I am now on the West side, but I cover one of the same wards I covered before. I am serving in a ward in which I have 6 converts haha! It was so good to be back so many friendly faces and people who care for you!
Well this will be quite the area. Quite the transfer. And I was reminded in my personal study what it takes to be an effective missionary for God. It was found in Alma 38, when Alma is counselling with his son Shiblon. He is such a righteous person and I loved what he says in 38:5,9-14... It just makes a lot of sense and it really helped me to know what to focus on. I love being a missionary and I will always strive to be an effective one..
Hope all is well. I love you, and take care!
Elder Walter
Well hope all is well! This week in Walmart we heard some great Christmas music... Hahah wasn't ready for that, but that proves it truly is never too early for Christmas music! Well this week I was transferred, still in San Antonio, and I was moved back to like the same area as the "South side" haha, where I used to serve before my last area. I am now on the West side, but I cover one of the same wards I covered before. I am serving in a ward in which I have 6 converts haha! It was so good to be back so many friendly faces and people who care for you!
Well this will be quite the area. Quite the transfer. And I was reminded in my personal study what it takes to be an effective missionary for God. It was found in Alma 38, when Alma is counselling with his son Shiblon. He is such a righteous person and I loved what he says in 38:5,9-14... It just makes a lot of sense and it really helped me to know what to focus on. I love being a missionary and I will always strive to be an effective one..
Hope all is well. I love you, and take care!
Elder Walter
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Transfer Time
To all!
Well what a great week! Just a lot of cool things were able to happen and a lot of success! Definitely a great way to finish the transfer... Unfortunately this also means that it is the end of another transfer... And I will actually be leaving this area... I loved this area soooooo much and it ended up being my shortest one so far. I have been serving in the northwest part of San Antonio. And it was just great and the ward... Oh my gosh I just felt right at home, this is an incredible ward with great leadership. It will continue to thrive with the great leadership it has. But I am excited and ready for the next phase of the awesomeness in the mission!
Well I am very grateful for the visit our mission had from Elder Claudio Zivic of the seventy! There was a lot that was learned. One of the things that I thought was very interesting that he talked about was the idea of limiting our potential by adhering to a predetermined mindset of what we can accomplish in our existing circumstance. He shared the story of Rodger Bannister who as an early 20th century physician thought it possible that a man could run a mile under 4 minutes when the overwhelming majority of the physicians at the time believed such a task impossible for the human body to realize. He himself trained and with diligence and proper training was able to be the first man to ever accomplish the feat. Following the broken record many more followed him in repeating the results he had procured. Thus breaking the then popular mindset of what the human body could and couldn't do. Now for a man to receive a medal in the Olympic games, he would have to drastically reduce the time in which even Rodger Bannister ran many decades ago. We have these same mindsets today. What is true and proven by science today will be changed, modified, and broken in the years to come, showing the infinitive progression and potential we have as children of God. The understanding of this concept can too influence us today. The greater and more fully we understand what it means to be a child of God, the better we can break personal mindsets we have in our lives that keep us and others from running the 4 minute mile...
I am grateful for my understanding of the gospel and the way it has influenced my understanding of what I can accomplish here in this earth. I know this is true and am grateful for the people in my life that make it possible for that to happen. Have a wonderful week! Enjoy the fall!!
Elder Walter
Well what a great week! Just a lot of cool things were able to happen and a lot of success! Definitely a great way to finish the transfer... Unfortunately this also means that it is the end of another transfer... And I will actually be leaving this area... I loved this area soooooo much and it ended up being my shortest one so far. I have been serving in the northwest part of San Antonio. And it was just great and the ward... Oh my gosh I just felt right at home, this is an incredible ward with great leadership. It will continue to thrive with the great leadership it has. But I am excited and ready for the next phase of the awesomeness in the mission!
Well I am very grateful for the visit our mission had from Elder Claudio Zivic of the seventy! There was a lot that was learned. One of the things that I thought was very interesting that he talked about was the idea of limiting our potential by adhering to a predetermined mindset of what we can accomplish in our existing circumstance. He shared the story of Rodger Bannister who as an early 20th century physician thought it possible that a man could run a mile under 4 minutes when the overwhelming majority of the physicians at the time believed such a task impossible for the human body to realize. He himself trained and with diligence and proper training was able to be the first man to ever accomplish the feat. Following the broken record many more followed him in repeating the results he had procured. Thus breaking the then popular mindset of what the human body could and couldn't do. Now for a man to receive a medal in the Olympic games, he would have to drastically reduce the time in which even Rodger Bannister ran many decades ago. We have these same mindsets today. What is true and proven by science today will be changed, modified, and broken in the years to come, showing the infinitive progression and potential we have as children of God. The understanding of this concept can too influence us today. The greater and more fully we understand what it means to be a child of God, the better we can break personal mindsets we have in our lives that keep us and others from running the 4 minute mile...
I am grateful for my understanding of the gospel and the way it has influenced my understanding of what I can accomplish here in this earth. I know this is true and am grateful for the people in my life that make it possible for that to happen. Have a wonderful week! Enjoy the fall!!
Elder Walter
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Another first
To all,
Well this week was a couple of firsts for me in the mission! All of which was just very very fun! Well to be honest Saturday was the first day of the mission that I felt really really sick. Just awful. And as I was then laying on my couch whining and "why me-ing", haha I then thought of the missionary stories I have heard where they come back and say stuff like... "There was only one day on my mission where I WASN'T sick." or "I didn't know what being sick meant before that mutant mosquito bit me." Ect. And I thought then that they only lived in huts, probably on the floor suffering... I then opened my eyes and looked around my 2 car garage, 2 1/2 bathroom, 2 bedroom, fully applied, mansion of an apartment. Smiled and said it could be worse hahah. Sorry Isaac, Logan, Chris, Taylor, Stuart ;).
Well I am completely fine. A one day bug and we were off and running! Today I finished the special edition Ensign on the Book of Mormon! Gosh it was so cool to really read and remember my own personal experience with the Book of Mormon! I loved them all but the ones that stood out to me the most was first the one talk given by Elder David Bednar of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles and another given by Elder Walter Gonzalez of the Seventy.
I have with frequency pondered and studied the the vision of the Tree of Life here on the mission. For those who don't know, the vision of the tree of life was a dream of an ancient prophet named Lehi, 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. It is recorded in Chapter 8 of 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon. And in all my studying and ponder and praying, I never got more out of it than I did when I read the talk by Elder Bednar. If only that talk had come out a year ago, it would have saved a lot of time and eventual guesses haha. But in each of those studies, confirmed by this talk, I have left with an overwhelming desire to partake of the fruit and then stay put! I was glad Elder Bednar stated the attributes of those that did just that! I loved and I know that by a continual and daily and diligent read from the word of God, we too can prepare to receive all the blessing the Atonement has to offer us.
The next was by Elder Gonzalez! I liked this one because on my mission I have seen all of these ways in which one came to know the Book of Mormon is true! And it gave me time to reflect on my testimony of the Book of Mormon and experience that that stems from. I know anyone can as they truly seek to know. It is the the word of God and I know that because it is something that God has revealed to me.
I love my mission I love the people I am working with! Hope all is well! Take care and have a great week!
Elder Walter
Well this week was a couple of firsts for me in the mission! All of which was just very very fun! Well to be honest Saturday was the first day of the mission that I felt really really sick. Just awful. And as I was then laying on my couch whining and "why me-ing", haha I then thought of the missionary stories I have heard where they come back and say stuff like... "There was only one day on my mission where I WASN'T sick." or "I didn't know what being sick meant before that mutant mosquito bit me." Ect. And I thought then that they only lived in huts, probably on the floor suffering... I then opened my eyes and looked around my 2 car garage, 2 1/2 bathroom, 2 bedroom, fully applied, mansion of an apartment. Smiled and said it could be worse hahah. Sorry Isaac, Logan, Chris, Taylor, Stuart ;).
Well I am completely fine. A one day bug and we were off and running! Today I finished the special edition Ensign on the Book of Mormon! Gosh it was so cool to really read and remember my own personal experience with the Book of Mormon! I loved them all but the ones that stood out to me the most was first the one talk given by Elder David Bednar of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles and another given by Elder Walter Gonzalez of the Seventy.
I have with frequency pondered and studied the the vision of the Tree of Life here on the mission. For those who don't know, the vision of the tree of life was a dream of an ancient prophet named Lehi, 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. It is recorded in Chapter 8 of 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon. And in all my studying and ponder and praying, I never got more out of it than I did when I read the talk by Elder Bednar. If only that talk had come out a year ago, it would have saved a lot of time and eventual guesses haha. But in each of those studies, confirmed by this talk, I have left with an overwhelming desire to partake of the fruit and then stay put! I was glad Elder Bednar stated the attributes of those that did just that! I loved and I know that by a continual and daily and diligent read from the word of God, we too can prepare to receive all the blessing the Atonement has to offer us.
The next was by Elder Gonzalez! I liked this one because on my mission I have seen all of these ways in which one came to know the Book of Mormon is true! And it gave me time to reflect on my testimony of the Book of Mormon and experience that that stems from. I know anyone can as they truly seek to know. It is the the word of God and I know that because it is something that God has revealed to me.
I love my mission I love the people I am working with! Hope all is well! Take care and have a great week!
Elder Walter
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Birthday Week!
Hello everyone,
Tommy did not have a post for everyone this week, apparently he is "busy". He did tell me to tell you all hello and that he loves you all.
I would like to add that his 21st BIRTHDAY is Sunday the 23 of October. I think it would be fun if you all emailed a shout out. His email is thomas.walter@myldsmail.com I am not entirely sure what his mailing address if you wanted to mail him a card but you could probably check his blog. I am sure Cortney keeps it current. It will be an odd day without being able to celebrate with him but there will e many more.
Take care everyone.
Brenda
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
life is great!
To all,
Well let me tell you... Life is great!!! Just so many miracles! I am so grateful to be a missionary during this time in San Antonio! Here the church is helping people be directed to mormon.org through the media. They are doing it all over America and right now in Australia! Super Sweet!
We had the baptism yesterday of Sara! It was super great! One of the greatest baptisms I have been too! It was a lot of fun! I love being a missionary! I know this is a true work and a work from God! It truly has blessed me a ton but most importantly others have felt the peace the gospel and that God can bring to them!
Hope all is well! Love yall!
Elder Walter
Well let me tell you... Life is great!!! Just so many miracles! I am so grateful to be a missionary during this time in San Antonio! Here the church is helping people be directed to mormon.org through the media. They are doing it all over America and right now in Australia! Super Sweet!
We had the baptism yesterday of Sara! It was super great! One of the greatest baptisms I have been too! It was a lot of fun! I love being a missionary! I know this is a true work and a work from God! It truly has blessed me a ton but most importantly others have felt the peace the gospel and that God can bring to them!
Hope all is well! Love yall!
Elder Walter
Monday, October 3, 2011
General Conference
To all!
Wow what a great conference!! Just super powerful! Every one hit home! It made it very special! I really felt the Spirit there! And it really helped me to see the bigger picture I think. Opened my eyes a little more and raised my vision of what I can become, because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. As we are humble enough to apply the words of the prophets we will be founded on solid ground that will be the foundation of future growth here in these times. I know Thomas S. Monson is the living prophet today and that God speaks to him as He did to Moses, or Abraham and He forever will.
Happy Birthday to Katie Walter!
And Sara will be baptized this Saturday!
-Elder Walter
Wow what a great conference!! Just super powerful! Every one hit home! It made it very special! I really felt the Spirit there! And it really helped me to see the bigger picture I think. Opened my eyes a little more and raised my vision of what I can become, because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. As we are humble enough to apply the words of the prophets we will be founded on solid ground that will be the foundation of future growth here in these times. I know Thomas S. Monson is the living prophet today and that God speaks to him as He did to Moses, or Abraham and He forever will.
Happy Birthday to Katie Walter!
And Sara will be baptized this Saturday!
-Elder Walter
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Another Transfer Week
To all!!
Things are looking great here in Huebner Creek! Unfortunately because of transfers, my companion will be getting transferred to another area... But I look forward to seeing who my next companion will be! Sara is someone that we are teaching! She is just an incredible person!! She is very intelligent and soaks everything in very quickly. She reads the Book of Mormon with such understanding and always looks to apply it in her life! She explains her thoughts and feelings very very well! She is like Gylwn in terms of faith and the ability she has to listen apply and find the blessings of what she is living. And because of that she is progressing very quickly and she has a baptismal date for the 8th of October which also happens to be Katie Anne Walter's birthday! Happy birthday!! we are very excited for that!!
I have been thinking a lot of the Book of Mormon lately and how grateful I am for that witness of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ here on the earth today! It means so much to me and has brought me a lot of peace and happiness!
I am grateful for all of you! hope all is well! Take care and I love you all!
Elder Walter
Things are looking great here in Huebner Creek! Unfortunately because of transfers, my companion will be getting transferred to another area... But I look forward to seeing who my next companion will be! Sara is someone that we are teaching! She is just an incredible person!! She is very intelligent and soaks everything in very quickly. She reads the Book of Mormon with such understanding and always looks to apply it in her life! She explains her thoughts and feelings very very well! She is like Gylwn in terms of faith and the ability she has to listen apply and find the blessings of what she is living. And because of that she is progressing very quickly and she has a baptismal date for the 8th of October which also happens to be Katie Anne Walter's birthday! Happy birthday!! we are very excited for that!!
I have been thinking a lot of the Book of Mormon lately and how grateful I am for that witness of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ here on the earth today! It means so much to me and has brought me a lot of peace and happiness!
I am grateful for all of you! hope all is well! Take care and I love you all!
Elder Walter
Sunday, September 25, 2011
General Conference Time Again!
To all!!
Is it already time for General Conference again!!! WAHOO!! Slam dunk that is awesome! If you don't have the cable channel from BYU tv, if you go to lds.org on October 1st and 2nd there are 4 different sessions of speakers. The majority are living apostles of Jesus Christ as well as the prophet Thomas S. Monson! It should be quite the spiritual feast! I love conference, especially on the mission it is always super great! Always just what I need to hear! While we're at it circle October eighth on the calendar because Katie Anne Walter is turning 10!! Double digits!
Things are going great over here! A lot of cool things are going for us right now! Transfers are this next coming week so we will see what happens!!
LOVE YOU ALL!!
Elder Walter
Is it already time for General Conference again!!! WAHOO!! Slam dunk that is awesome! If you don't have the cable channel from BYU tv, if you go to lds.org on October 1st and 2nd there are 4 different sessions of speakers. The majority are living apostles of Jesus Christ as well as the prophet Thomas S. Monson! It should be quite the spiritual feast! I love conference, especially on the mission it is always super great! Always just what I need to hear! While we're at it circle October eighth on the calendar because Katie Anne Walter is turning 10!! Double digits!
Things are going great over here! A lot of cool things are going for us right now! Transfers are this next coming week so we will see what happens!!
LOVE YOU ALL!!
Elder Walter
Saturday, September 17, 2011
9/12/11
To all!
This week was great! We had a baptism on Saturday and a confirmation on Sunday of a man named Fernando! He has made so many great changes in his life. One of my favorite parts of the mission is the before and after... Who they were when we first found them and after their baptism. Only then to realize how little we actually did as the missionaries. Conversion is only brought about by God. It is through revelation that the individual receives and then the acting upon that received revelation that brings to pass that testimony. I have witnessed that time and time again. God works in the heart of everyone and He truly desires the salvation of everyone! It is so cool to see and be apart of! Hope all is well!! Have a great week! Love ya!
Elder Walter
This week was great! We had a baptism on Saturday and a confirmation on Sunday of a man named Fernando! He has made so many great changes in his life. One of my favorite parts of the mission is the before and after... Who they were when we first found them and after their baptism. Only then to realize how little we actually did as the missionaries. Conversion is only brought about by God. It is through revelation that the individual receives and then the acting upon that received revelation that brings to pass that testimony. I have witnessed that time and time again. God works in the heart of everyone and He truly desires the salvation of everyone! It is so cool to see and be apart of! Hope all is well!! Have a great week! Love ya!
Elder Walter
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Short Again
To All,
Sorry this is short! I don't have much time! Things are great! Hope all is well and have a wonderful Labor day!
Elder Walter
Sorry this is short! I don't have much time! Things are great! Hope all is well and have a wonderful Labor day!
Elder Walter
Monday, August 29, 2011
Summer Carries On
To All!!
Well this will be pretty short because of time, but things are going great! We had great success this week and really hope for that to continue! Also Josie... I love you! You are the greatest soccer player the world has ever seen and when I get back it would do us good to join forces and play for a city league so that we can dominate! Hahah I do love you and I am so sorry to hear about your knee! It seriously broke my heart! But take care and I love ya!
Also I have a cool mormon.org profile. The website is real neat! It has some great unique and one of a kind stories and experiences! Have a great week! and I love y'all!!
Elder Walter
Well this will be pretty short because of time, but things are going great! We had great success this week and really hope for that to continue! Also Josie... I love you! You are the greatest soccer player the world has ever seen and when I get back it would do us good to join forces and play for a city league so that we can dominate! Hahah I do love you and I am so sorry to hear about your knee! It seriously broke my heart! But take care and I love ya!
Also I have a cool mormon.org profile. The website is real neat! It has some great unique and one of a kind stories and experiences! Have a great week! and I love y'all!!
Elder Walter
Monday, August 22, 2011
Summer Winding Down
To all!!
Things have been going really good. The summer heat is really dying down. It is getting to be more of a mild 95 degrees now... But things are really going great! It is pretty sad knowing it will be the last one though... More so it is just a weird feeling. I don't like it too much... But we are working really hard and we are finding a lot of fruit in our labor. We are being obedient and working hard with a lot of faith. And that has really brought about some great experiences! We have a wonderful vision of our area and we are working real hard to accomplish it. President Jones is doing an incredible job. He has truly been called to bring about this mighty work. It is something that really has blessed my life, all other of the TSAM missionaries and the people that we have been working with! I love this work and I am grateful to have taken the time to see to it that I serve.
I love you all!!
Elder Walter
Things have been going really good. The summer heat is really dying down. It is getting to be more of a mild 95 degrees now... But things are really going great! It is pretty sad knowing it will be the last one though... More so it is just a weird feeling. I don't like it too much... But we are working really hard and we are finding a lot of fruit in our labor. We are being obedient and working hard with a lot of faith. And that has really brought about some great experiences! We have a wonderful vision of our area and we are working real hard to accomplish it. President Jones is doing an incredible job. He has truly been called to bring about this mighty work. It is something that really has blessed my life, all other of the TSAM missionaries and the people that we have been working with! I love this work and I am grateful to have taken the time to see to it that I serve.
I love you all!!
Elder Walter
Monday, August 1, 2011
Small World
Hello everyone!
Well let me say I had one of the coolest experiences ever on Sunday!! Well let me get on to tell you about it!
We had a great time at church. Both me and my companion spoke in sacrament meeting. It was great! Then we had a baptism after church for Jorge Pino! It was a great baptism, very smooth and then after we went to the Barrett family's house for dinner. The Barrett family is from Puerto Rico... They actually had family that lives in Puerto Rico that was visiting them that day! I told them that I had a really good friend that had servered in Puerto Rico awhile ago, and after 5 minutes of eating that real good Puerto Rican food, they asked me who it was that had served there... I told them that his name was Elder Westover... The husband threw up his hands and the wife and the kids all got really excited and couldn't believe I knew him. More I was surprised that they had actually known him! They described him perfectly! Like it had been yesterday that he was there!! Then one of the daughters pulled up one of his facebook pictures and sure enough Scott Westover's smile was on the screen!!
They proceeded to talk about all the great things Scott had done in the the service of the Lord and about how great a missionary he was. The husband said that there are very very few missionaries like that.
I was very impressed and touched by this experience. I reflected on who I knew Scott to be and saw all of the attributes of a great missionary. He had such an understanding of what his calling was and how through the grace and will of God, he was to serve with all of his might, mind, and strength. The vision he had of establishing Zion in Puerto Rico, became a reality with his faith and diligence. This family was describing Scott as if he was still serving there... It had been three years since he had come home. His effect or rather the Lord's effect through him was tremendous. Such a reality can be realized with every missionary, as they, like Scott, diligently serve the Lord with the vision and eye single to his glory. I am so grateful to be in the Lord's work and to have the example of Scott, my family and my friends in my life. I was greatly uplifted upon hearing this experience and look to improve to accomplish all the Lord has in store for me.
Elder Walter
Well let me say I had one of the coolest experiences ever on Sunday!! Well let me get on to tell you about it!
We had a great time at church. Both me and my companion spoke in sacrament meeting. It was great! Then we had a baptism after church for Jorge Pino! It was a great baptism, very smooth and then after we went to the Barrett family's house for dinner. The Barrett family is from Puerto Rico... They actually had family that lives in Puerto Rico that was visiting them that day! I told them that I had a really good friend that had servered in Puerto Rico awhile ago, and after 5 minutes of eating that real good Puerto Rican food, they asked me who it was that had served there... I told them that his name was Elder Westover... The husband threw up his hands and the wife and the kids all got really excited and couldn't believe I knew him. More I was surprised that they had actually known him! They described him perfectly! Like it had been yesterday that he was there!! Then one of the daughters pulled up one of his facebook pictures and sure enough Scott Westover's smile was on the screen!!
They proceeded to talk about all the great things Scott had done in the the service of the Lord and about how great a missionary he was. The husband said that there are very very few missionaries like that.
I was very impressed and touched by this experience. I reflected on who I knew Scott to be and saw all of the attributes of a great missionary. He had such an understanding of what his calling was and how through the grace and will of God, he was to serve with all of his might, mind, and strength. The vision he had of establishing Zion in Puerto Rico, became a reality with his faith and diligence. This family was describing Scott as if he was still serving there... It had been three years since he had come home. His effect or rather the Lord's effect through him was tremendous. Such a reality can be realized with every missionary, as they, like Scott, diligently serve the Lord with the vision and eye single to his glory. I am so grateful to be in the Lord's work and to have the example of Scott, my family and my friends in my life. I was greatly uplifted upon hearing this experience and look to improve to accomplish all the Lord has in store for me.
Elder Walter
Monday, July 25, 2011
Short on Time
To all!!
Things are going great! It is hot! We have a baptism on Sunday! We are working hard and loving it!! Sorry I have got to run!
LOVE YALL!!!
Elder Walter
Things are going great! It is hot! We have a baptism on Sunday! We are working hard and loving it!! Sorry I have got to run!
LOVE YALL!!!
Elder Walter
Monday, July 18, 2011
Learning Patience
Hello to all where ever you all are!!
Things are absolutely great here in the West Zone! We have a lot of great things going for us. We are working hard and the miracles are really coming because of it! I am still getting used to the area and I thought I had been getting better then, BOOM. It is then I realize how much more I still have to learn. So day by day I will be learning even more. This week my companion and I are learning and working on the Christ-Like attribute of patience! Gahhh I am not sure if I can take it much longer... haha just kidding.
It has been a cool little study and our knowledge of what that is continues to grow. It really grows I think with the application of what we learn. We are all going through a refiners fire, constantly being put under trials and tribulations that allows us to grow and become even better than we are at the point at which we all started. It is at times a frustrating process and we may not see the need of it all the time, but we will be blessed with trials in every stage of our life and it is our job to patiently endure them as we seek to learn what our Heavenly Father wants us to learn. It is then that we can make the most out of our opportunities to grow and become more like our Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for my trials and for the love my Heavenly Father has shown me as He has put me through trials. I know that they are important and patience throughout those trials will help me to grow.
Elder Walter
Things are absolutely great here in the West Zone! We have a lot of great things going for us. We are working hard and the miracles are really coming because of it! I am still getting used to the area and I thought I had been getting better then, BOOM. It is then I realize how much more I still have to learn. So day by day I will be learning even more. This week my companion and I are learning and working on the Christ-Like attribute of patience! Gahhh I am not sure if I can take it much longer... haha just kidding.
It has been a cool little study and our knowledge of what that is continues to grow. It really grows I think with the application of what we learn. We are all going through a refiners fire, constantly being put under trials and tribulations that allows us to grow and become even better than we are at the point at which we all started. It is at times a frustrating process and we may not see the need of it all the time, but we will be blessed with trials in every stage of our life and it is our job to patiently endure them as we seek to learn what our Heavenly Father wants us to learn. It is then that we can make the most out of our opportunities to grow and become more like our Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for my trials and for the love my Heavenly Father has shown me as He has put me through trials. I know that they are important and patience throughout those trials will help me to grow.
Elder Walter
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Transfer Time
Para todo!!!
Well this week was great! I was transferred from 5th ward unfortunately :( but I was transferred to another great area!! This is the Huebner (pronounced Heebner) Creek ward just outside of the 410 and actually bordering my first area! Hahah so right now in the three areas I have been you can be in all three of them within a ten minute car drive haha. So I am still in San Antonio, which I love!!! So needless to say I am sooo grateful for my new area for a variety of reasons and look forward to my time here. We actually cover the entire Stake or in other words quite a big chuck of the earth. We cover the Spanish speaking people in the area, which too is a wonderful blessing! I am so excited to work with my companion in strengthening the Huebner Creek Ward as we look to find those prepared to make covenants with our Heavenly Father through the ordinance of baptism.
I have been doing great, the spanish is great! Within the last month or two, I have felt very confident in fluently speaking to declare the great message we have to help others learn the need of it in their own life. This area will only improve that! I have come to realize the importance of learning the language I was called to speak. This has mainly been accomplished as I have principally prayed for the gifts of the Holy Ghost that better allow me to learn and then put forth the effort needed to receive and operate with the Holy Ghost to learn the principles of the language. This is one of the many immense blessings made available by those who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. These gifts come as one first has had that ordinance performed by the priesthood of God and who then properly seek for and desire those gifts. These are very important in us fulfilling our vast potential as children of God.
I love you all and hope you all have had a great week!!
Well this week was great! I was transferred from 5th ward unfortunately :( but I was transferred to another great area!! This is the Huebner (pronounced Heebner) Creek ward just outside of the 410 and actually bordering my first area! Hahah so right now in the three areas I have been you can be in all three of them within a ten minute car drive haha. So I am still in San Antonio, which I love!!! So needless to say I am sooo grateful for my new area for a variety of reasons and look forward to my time here. We actually cover the entire Stake or in other words quite a big chuck of the earth. We cover the Spanish speaking people in the area, which too is a wonderful blessing! I am so excited to work with my companion in strengthening the Huebner Creek Ward as we look to find those prepared to make covenants with our Heavenly Father through the ordinance of baptism.
I have been doing great, the spanish is great! Within the last month or two, I have felt very confident in fluently speaking to declare the great message we have to help others learn the need of it in their own life. This area will only improve that! I have come to realize the importance of learning the language I was called to speak. This has mainly been accomplished as I have principally prayed for the gifts of the Holy Ghost that better allow me to learn and then put forth the effort needed to receive and operate with the Holy Ghost to learn the principles of the language. This is one of the many immense blessings made available by those who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. These gifts come as one first has had that ordinance performed by the priesthood of God and who then properly seek for and desire those gifts. These are very important in us fulfilling our vast potential as children of God.
I love you all and hope you all have had a great week!!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Goodbye South Side!
To all,
Hello to all! This week was great! I have learned a lot! We have been doing a lot of finding! But we have had a lot of patience and we have been able to grow in getting this area prepared for the next transfer... Of which I will not be a part of, I am being transferred. I don't know where yet but I will at the transfer mtg. this Thursday! It should be good!
Again there isn't much more to update... Sorry this week should be more eventful.
I do know this gospel is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet and President Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. The Book of Mormon is true and I am grateful to share that with everyone. I love this gospel and I am grateful for the effect it has had in my life.
Elder Walter
Hello to all! This week was great! I have learned a lot! We have been doing a lot of finding! But we have had a lot of patience and we have been able to grow in getting this area prepared for the next transfer... Of which I will not be a part of, I am being transferred. I don't know where yet but I will at the transfer mtg. this Thursday! It should be good!
Again there isn't much more to update... Sorry this week should be more eventful.
I do know this gospel is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet and President Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. The Book of Mormon is true and I am grateful to share that with everyone. I love this gospel and I am grateful for the effect it has had in my life.
Elder Walter
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Second Transfer Notice
To all,
Hey hope all is well! Things are still moving here in the Southside of San Antonio. We have been very blessed as the Lord sees fit that we go through trials and as we choose to learn from them. Things are going great. President has already told me that I will be leaving this area in a week and a half... But he didn't know where yet haha. I love President Jones.
I am grateful for your prayers and your sacrifices and am excited for a new week to begin and am excited to find these new people!
Elder Walter
Hey hope all is well! Things are still moving here in the Southside of San Antonio. We have been very blessed as the Lord sees fit that we go through trials and as we choose to learn from them. Things are going great. President has already told me that I will be leaving this area in a week and a half... But he didn't know where yet haha. I love President Jones.
I am grateful for your prayers and your sacrifices and am excited for a new week to begin and am excited to find these new people!
Elder Walter
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Working on the face tan
Hey all!!
Wow!! It was quite the awesome week!! Just a lot of working on the face tan while working hard finding who the Lord has prepared to hear the message of the Restoration... Ok maybe that should the other way, either way both are going great! We've had some super cool experiences! Something that my companion and I have been working real hard on doing a better job of is finding those that are already prepared for the gospel and listening harder for the promptings of the Spirit in that finding process. I think at times we pick a part of our area to work and though that may have been an inspired thing to plan, when we actually finally get there, we are blinded by a self imposed, strict obligation to do what we said we would even when the Lord may be putting us there for a different reason.
Our desires, effort and attention are constantly being competed for. Especially while in the heat, humidity and long sleeves, it is very very very easy to tune out the Spirit and knock out the street you planned to knock last night and being obedient and working real hard at the same time. This will not bring you as much success as if you took the necessary effort and attention to listen and follow what He instructs, then combined with obedience and hard work you will find those that are ready. This takes faith and a firm knowledge that there are people prepared for you to teach.
One of these experiences we had on Sunday night. We were knocking a street we had only the night before planned to be at, and after two doors, were prompted to go to a different street. As we walked one block more south, we knocked on the first house of that street and found a man who was looking for a christian church, but not just any but "the" church of Jesus Christ. He now has a baptismal date for the 10th of July... This same thing is applicable in life and as we put aside that which fights for our attention in the world, and listen for the Spirit, we can be blessed with even more blessings than we might already have to enjoy!!
Elder Walter
Wow!! It was quite the awesome week!! Just a lot of working on the face tan while working hard finding who the Lord has prepared to hear the message of the Restoration... Ok maybe that should the other way, either way both are going great! We've had some super cool experiences! Something that my companion and I have been working real hard on doing a better job of is finding those that are already prepared for the gospel and listening harder for the promptings of the Spirit in that finding process. I think at times we pick a part of our area to work and though that may have been an inspired thing to plan, when we actually finally get there, we are blinded by a self imposed, strict obligation to do what we said we would even when the Lord may be putting us there for a different reason.
Our desires, effort and attention are constantly being competed for. Especially while in the heat, humidity and long sleeves, it is very very very easy to tune out the Spirit and knock out the street you planned to knock last night and being obedient and working real hard at the same time. This will not bring you as much success as if you took the necessary effort and attention to listen and follow what He instructs, then combined with obedience and hard work you will find those that are ready. This takes faith and a firm knowledge that there are people prepared for you to teach.
One of these experiences we had on Sunday night. We were knocking a street we had only the night before planned to be at, and after two doors, were prompted to go to a different street. As we walked one block more south, we knocked on the first house of that street and found a man who was looking for a christian church, but not just any but "the" church of Jesus Christ. He now has a baptismal date for the 10th of July... This same thing is applicable in life and as we put aside that which fights for our attention in the world, and listen for the Spirit, we can be blessed with even more blessings than we might already have to enjoy!!
Elder Walter
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Joys of the Mission
To all,
This week was quite the busy week. We had quite a few things we had going. Highlighted by a zone conference and the training given by President Jones and the Assistants to the President. It was very fun and very enlightening and it was answer to quite a few prayers on my part. The 5th ward area is looking for one more baptism in this transfer and we have had success in finding one family who was committed to be baptized and so we hope that they continue to choose to make necessary changes in their lives to receive the fullness of the blessings that comes from the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
There are wonderful blessings that come from the mission, but I love more than anything watching others receive the happiness that comes from conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have been blessed to learn from these individuals and to then to see this miracle. I think it is harder to see the blessings or the change of happiness in our own lives. But as a missionary, there is an outside perspective where in a recent case, we found someone uncertain and maybe even a little scared of what could happen in the future, who now is certain and excited and happy for the future they have as a family. This change was caused as they chose to sacrifice and as they sought first the kingdom of God. And they chose to make those sacrifices until they were baptized by the Priesthood of God unto a remission of sins. I am grateful for the gospel in my life and that I have that same opportunity!
Love y'all and take care!!
Elder Walter
This week was quite the busy week. We had quite a few things we had going. Highlighted by a zone conference and the training given by President Jones and the Assistants to the President. It was very fun and very enlightening and it was answer to quite a few prayers on my part. The 5th ward area is looking for one more baptism in this transfer and we have had success in finding one family who was committed to be baptized and so we hope that they continue to choose to make necessary changes in their lives to receive the fullness of the blessings that comes from the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
There are wonderful blessings that come from the mission, but I love more than anything watching others receive the happiness that comes from conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have been blessed to learn from these individuals and to then to see this miracle. I think it is harder to see the blessings or the change of happiness in our own lives. But as a missionary, there is an outside perspective where in a recent case, we found someone uncertain and maybe even a little scared of what could happen in the future, who now is certain and excited and happy for the future they have as a family. This change was caused as they chose to sacrifice and as they sought first the kingdom of God. And they chose to make those sacrifices until they were baptized by the Priesthood of God unto a remission of sins. I am grateful for the gospel in my life and that I have that same opportunity!
Love y'all and take care!!
Elder Walter
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Time Flies!
To all,
Today was a fabulous week! We had a baptism for the San Antonio 5th ward this week!! It was great!! The only problem was that it FLEW BY!! I felt like the week was a day. The days aren't even long anymore. Before the weeks were just a blur, but at least during the day you could go about and it would actually be a whole day, now one week has already passed by and I don't think this week is going to slow down any... I had quite the reality check that I really need to kind soak it all in, and to continue to really seek to make the most of everyday. There isn't a ton of time anymore, but I have to make the most of every moment.
I love being a missionary it really is an essential part in the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it has always been and will always be. God has the ability to influence the lives of so many people as we choose to act and to live worthily to be His instruments. It is first and foremost through the atonement of Jesus Christ that we recieve salvation and it is then through us that the children of men come to the atonement. I know Christ lives and the Atonement of Jesus Christ is very real and is applicable in everyone's life! I know it is the only way to return to live with God again in heaven. I love you all!! Take care and have a great week!!
Elder Walter
Today was a fabulous week! We had a baptism for the San Antonio 5th ward this week!! It was great!! The only problem was that it FLEW BY!! I felt like the week was a day. The days aren't even long anymore. Before the weeks were just a blur, but at least during the day you could go about and it would actually be a whole day, now one week has already passed by and I don't think this week is going to slow down any... I had quite the reality check that I really need to kind soak it all in, and to continue to really seek to make the most of everyday. There isn't a ton of time anymore, but I have to make the most of every moment.
I love being a missionary it really is an essential part in the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it has always been and will always be. God has the ability to influence the lives of so many people as we choose to act and to live worthily to be His instruments. It is first and foremost through the atonement of Jesus Christ that we recieve salvation and it is then through us that the children of men come to the atonement. I know Christ lives and the Atonement of Jesus Christ is very real and is applicable in everyone's life! I know it is the only way to return to live with God again in heaven. I love you all!! Take care and have a great week!!
Elder Walter
Monday, May 30, 2011
One Year!!
To all,
Well happy Memorial day!! This is a week of a lot of really cool things in my life... First off, on the 25th of May I realized in the morning that yesterday I was baptized for 2 years. May 24th 2009... It seems like it was yesterday. Then this Thursday it will be my 1 year on the mission... That seems like 2 minutes ago haha. I remember that day very well. One of my favorite parts is the picture Jason and I have in front of MTC sign. It symbolizes a lot of sacrifice from a lot of people, first off on his part and on mine. But I don't know if there is another picture that means so much to me. My main missionary Jason Parkinson. Yeah he is a great man and I am so grateful for his and Tres Layton's service... And all those other incredible missionaries that kept being pumped into Wilsonville.
Well Monica and Miguel Rodriguez are progressing so well!! Gosh they are such a great family!! They have taken a lot of steps of faith to find happiness. That is what it is all about!! Happiness!! I don't think it gets any better than that. It is so great that God has given us all He has to simply make us happy... I am happy that is for sure.
Also a really cool miracle!! These have been happening quite often lately so I will finally share one... So my new companion and I were out knocking... and before we were going to go to another area we both agreed to one more door... So we went next door and knocked... nothing. Dang it was tough so we went to the car and then there was a guy who pulled up in his car and said that he was wanting to change his life and wanted to hear abut how he could do that.. Wow, so Juan now has a soft baptismal commitment.
Well things are great and we are excited for the week to come!! Yay!! Miss you all and have a great week.
Elder Walter
Well happy Memorial day!! This is a week of a lot of really cool things in my life... First off, on the 25th of May I realized in the morning that yesterday I was baptized for 2 years. May 24th 2009... It seems like it was yesterday. Then this Thursday it will be my 1 year on the mission... That seems like 2 minutes ago haha. I remember that day very well. One of my favorite parts is the picture Jason and I have in front of MTC sign. It symbolizes a lot of sacrifice from a lot of people, first off on his part and on mine. But I don't know if there is another picture that means so much to me. My main missionary Jason Parkinson. Yeah he is a great man and I am so grateful for his and Tres Layton's service... And all those other incredible missionaries that kept being pumped into Wilsonville.
Well Monica and Miguel Rodriguez are progressing so well!! Gosh they are such a great family!! They have taken a lot of steps of faith to find happiness. That is what it is all about!! Happiness!! I don't think it gets any better than that. It is so great that God has given us all He has to simply make us happy... I am happy that is for sure.
Also a really cool miracle!! These have been happening quite often lately so I will finally share one... So my new companion and I were out knocking... and before we were going to go to another area we both agreed to one more door... So we went next door and knocked... nothing. Dang it was tough so we went to the car and then there was a guy who pulled up in his car and said that he was wanting to change his life and wanted to hear abut how he could do that.. Wow, so Juan now has a soft baptismal commitment.
Well things are great and we are excited for the week to come!! Yay!! Miss you all and have a great week.
Elder Walter
Monday, May 23, 2011
50th Week
Hello to all!!!
Well, Erick Gastelum was baptized!! He took a great leap of faith, and it was great to see!! He is an incredible young man and continues to be a great example for his family!!
In other news I learned how to spell "humidity" this week as it was the only word that came to mind as I walked along in it... I think it was about 300% humidity, gosh I love San Antonio!!
Also my companion will be heading out of the Southside here on Thursday. The transfer call came and told him there was more people for him to help come unto Christ outside of the Soul Savin' South Zone. We served together for 4 and a half months... That is a long time, so it will be different but, the show or work of God must go on!!
We have a few families that came to church this week!! 2 different Rodriguez families came out to 5th ward. Hilda and Roberto came as well as Monica and Miguel! Both are progressing and what I have learned because of them is the truth that is, that as families come unto the gospel of Jesus Christ they are happier. They are both so happy and there is no coincidence that it happens to be at the same time they first felt the Spirit testify to them of the Restoration and the truthfulness and the reality of an eternal family. I know that because of the restoration of the fullness of Christ's church that families truly can be sealed together. Erick and the rest of his family are living proof of that and stand as a witness of that unremitting fact.
I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary and be an instrument to bring the knowledge of Jesus Christ into the lives of families. Take care and have a wonderful week!
Elder Walter
Well, Erick Gastelum was baptized!! He took a great leap of faith, and it was great to see!! He is an incredible young man and continues to be a great example for his family!!
In other news I learned how to spell "humidity" this week as it was the only word that came to mind as I walked along in it... I think it was about 300% humidity, gosh I love San Antonio!!
Also my companion will be heading out of the Southside here on Thursday. The transfer call came and told him there was more people for him to help come unto Christ outside of the Soul Savin' South Zone. We served together for 4 and a half months... That is a long time, so it will be different but, the show or work of God must go on!!
We have a few families that came to church this week!! 2 different Rodriguez families came out to 5th ward. Hilda and Roberto came as well as Monica and Miguel! Both are progressing and what I have learned because of them is the truth that is, that as families come unto the gospel of Jesus Christ they are happier. They are both so happy and there is no coincidence that it happens to be at the same time they first felt the Spirit testify to them of the Restoration and the truthfulness and the reality of an eternal family. I know that because of the restoration of the fullness of Christ's church that families truly can be sealed together. Erick and the rest of his family are living proof of that and stand as a witness of that unremitting fact.
I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary and be an instrument to bring the knowledge of Jesus Christ into the lives of families. Take care and have a wonderful week!
Elder Walter
Monday, May 16, 2011
Good Week
Para todo!!
This was indeed a good week. At least I have thusly deemed it so... Well every week is like that on a mission but none the less a good week. Erick Gastelum should be ready to be baptized this Sunday!! And we are very excited about that. He is such great example and a strong person, he will really help his family as they all prepare to make more covenants to become an eternal family!! Also we found such a wonderful family, who is actually from Las Vegas! It made me remember a little about my family out there!! Gosh my family rocks!
Well transfers are approaching... next Sunday me and my companion will know if one of us is departing from the fifth ward... It will be a stressful day! The fifth ward hasn't seen change in a little over 4 months... Plus the next transfer is when I hit my year mark... GAHHH!!
Well don't forget people this Thursday!! Mark it on you calendars!! Cortney Wikle's BIRTHDAY!!! Turning the big 21... Wow that is real old ;) Just kidding!! Party at the Wikle's, I'm just kidding Kevin and Vicki!! Hahaha!
Elder Walter
This was indeed a good week. At least I have thusly deemed it so... Well every week is like that on a mission but none the less a good week. Erick Gastelum should be ready to be baptized this Sunday!! And we are very excited about that. He is such great example and a strong person, he will really help his family as they all prepare to make more covenants to become an eternal family!! Also we found such a wonderful family, who is actually from Las Vegas! It made me remember a little about my family out there!! Gosh my family rocks!
Well transfers are approaching... next Sunday me and my companion will know if one of us is departing from the fifth ward... It will be a stressful day! The fifth ward hasn't seen change in a little over 4 months... Plus the next transfer is when I hit my year mark... GAHHH!!
Well don't forget people this Thursday!! Mark it on you calendars!! Cortney Wikle's BIRTHDAY!!! Turning the big 21... Wow that is real old ;) Just kidding!! Party at the Wikle's, I'm just kidding Kevin and Vicki!! Hahaha!
Elder Walter
Monday, May 9, 2011
Mother's Day
Hey to all and especially the mothers out there,
Happy Late by one day Mothers day!! I had a great one!! Both the 5th ward and the 10th ward had special services for mothers day!! It was great!! Then of course I got to talk with my family!! Sooo good!! We've been working hard and the heat is going up on the Southside in both temperature and in the missionary efforts!! We're hitting the streets!! Hitting the pavement on the bikes... Haha That's right we singled handedly changed our car area into a bike/semi car area!! We can do those things on the southside ;) And the sacrifices paid off!! We are excited to continue with the change of pace!! I am in one of those double exclamation point phases again!!
We are working with a few more families that are real nice. Some of which are:
- The Rodriguez family, the Ruvalcalva family, and the Mancha/Manuel Meraz family
Thanks for your prayers and hope all is well!! Love y'all!!
Elder Walter
Happy Late by one day Mothers day!! I had a great one!! Both the 5th ward and the 10th ward had special services for mothers day!! It was great!! Then of course I got to talk with my family!! Sooo good!! We've been working hard and the heat is going up on the Southside in both temperature and in the missionary efforts!! We're hitting the streets!! Hitting the pavement on the bikes... Haha That's right we singled handedly changed our car area into a bike/semi car area!! We can do those things on the southside ;) And the sacrifices paid off!! We are excited to continue with the change of pace!! I am in one of those double exclamation point phases again!!
We are working with a few more families that are real nice. Some of which are:
- The Rodriguez family, the Ruvalcalva family, and the Mancha/Manuel Meraz family
Thanks for your prayers and hope all is well!! Love y'all!!
Elder Walter
Monday, May 2, 2011
Team Effort
Hello!!!
Can I just say that I LOVE the fifth ward in the South San Antonio Stake!! They seriously are my home away from home! They will always have a special place in my heart! Gosh I love being a missionary! We are working real hard to do everything we can for the ward!! I thought about that a little bit. How much not only great missionaries affect the ward, but how a great ward affect the missionaries... I am reminded very quickly of the Wilsonville Ward in the Lake Oswego Stake. If the missionaries didn't walk into that chapel to meet the ward and didn't feel like they should be the best missionaries in the world, then I am not sure what else would do it. I love you all! You truly affect the community in so many positive ways!! And a lot of it goes to fantastic leadership of the ward!! But if it is one thing I have learned on the mission, it is a team effort. Christ expects the all of all of us! It is that all that we will give to the 5th ward!! We are excited!!
We are working with quite a few people!! Another Rodriguez family but this is the spanish one, Roberto, Hilda, Savanah, and little 7 year Jacob. Jacob loved one of the lessons so much, he was sound asleep by the end of the lesson with the plan of Salvation pamphlet open and covering his face. I couldn't think of a better thing to fall asleep to!! What a trooper?!
The Espinoza family is another great family, along with the Mancha family!! We have a couple more but I am running out of time!! I love you all! Keep being great!! and hope you all enjoyed the NFL Draft!!
Elder Walter
Can I just say that I LOVE the fifth ward in the South San Antonio Stake!! They seriously are my home away from home! They will always have a special place in my heart! Gosh I love being a missionary! We are working real hard to do everything we can for the ward!! I thought about that a little bit. How much not only great missionaries affect the ward, but how a great ward affect the missionaries... I am reminded very quickly of the Wilsonville Ward in the Lake Oswego Stake. If the missionaries didn't walk into that chapel to meet the ward and didn't feel like they should be the best missionaries in the world, then I am not sure what else would do it. I love you all! You truly affect the community in so many positive ways!! And a lot of it goes to fantastic leadership of the ward!! But if it is one thing I have learned on the mission, it is a team effort. Christ expects the all of all of us! It is that all that we will give to the 5th ward!! We are excited!!
We are working with quite a few people!! Another Rodriguez family but this is the spanish one, Roberto, Hilda, Savanah, and little 7 year Jacob. Jacob loved one of the lessons so much, he was sound asleep by the end of the lesson with the plan of Salvation pamphlet open and covering his face. I couldn't think of a better thing to fall asleep to!! What a trooper?!
The Espinoza family is another great family, along with the Mancha family!! We have a couple more but I am running out of time!! I love you all! Keep being great!! and hope you all enjoyed the NFL Draft!!
Elder Walter
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Busy Busy Busy!
Hello,
Sorry I don't have a lot of time!! Things are going great! Have had a lot of recent great experiences especially with the Easter season, it was perfect timing!! I love this work and it truly helps all come unto Christ more fully in their lives! I Hope you all had a wonderful Easter Holiday and I love you all!!
Elder Walter
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Blessings of Eternal Families
Hello to everyone,
Hello!! We had a great week!! Both Arianna and Valentino were baptized!! It was a very rewarding and great experience to have been able to baptize Valentino. He has done so much to get into the position he is in now. Now him and his wife Brianda have an opportunity to be sealed for all time and eternity!! I am so excited for that. I am just glad I will still be on my mission!!
I am so grateful for so many things that I have in my life and for all that I still have to come in my life. I am grateful for my family and for the support that they have always been in my life. It has strengthened me and allowed me to be in the position I am today. I am grateful for the potential we have as a family and for the eternal happiness that awaits those families that follow the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that families are ordained of God to bring to pass eternal happiness as I have been a witness of that in my life. I am grateful for the priesthood for the sealing keys that have been restored that make it possible to live forever as a family.
We are currently working with still some great people. With the "Fiesta" festivities officially over, we begin a new week!!
Eric Gastelum is very ready to be baptized and we are in hopes that this is the week!
Lonnie Sellers is someone that we knocked into this week and he has had many different experiences in his life that have led him to where he is. He was very excited about the prospect of being baptized. As are we.
The Castano family. The mother's, step-father was baptized in the end of March and they expressed to us that they too have interest into what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is all about. They heard quite a bit and are searching for which of the churches are true.. Great experience!
Well that just about does it. I hope all of you are doing great! Love yall!
Elder Walter
Monday, April 11, 2011
Summer Has Hit Texas
Hello from Texas,
Hello to all!! It's official!! It touched 100 degrees. What a break through! It was a scorching week, but luckily we got cooled down for a Sunday baptism haha!! The Rodriguez family got baptized!! Well Jamie (son) and James (dad) were baptized. Eric will be waiting hopefully just for next week. But yay!! They were so happy!! It was definitely one of the funnest baptisms ever!! The 5 year old son said, "Whoa what just happened?!" after his dad was baptized hahaha!! He is so funny!
Arianna will be baptized next week due to a death in the family this week. But she is great and happy as ever!! We are excited for the family to experience this especially after this trying time.
And against the odds, my companion and I will be together for a third transfer! We have high goals set for this final transfer together! It should be a good one!
I had a great experience this week. I received a letter from Sister Emma Wilson, serving in Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission, from the Wilsonville Ward this week. She is doing an incredible job! Just an incredible servant of the Lord! One thing that really was powerful to me was her testimony of the opportunity it is to be in the work of the Lord. Lately I have received letters from Tres Layton, Dan Willis and Jason Parkinson, all proclaiming the same thing. My mind was brought to think about the other Elders serving from Wilsonville, and I couldn't help but know that they understood the same thing. I don't know if I understood more clearly the importance of this work or of the mandate to labor with all your heart, might, mind and strength, than I did when I thought about all of these testimonies. This truly is the work of our Beloved Heavenly Father. I know that and of the tremendous value that that carries. I am so grateful to serve amongst these valiant men and women, in a hope to bring people unto the kingdom of God.
Some people we a still working with are:
Valentino Canchola! He is awesome! So much faith, faith he will need as he looks to be baptized!
Hmo. Carlos Silva! He has great desires, of which need to override perhaps his other desires in his life.
Arrianna Guerra! One awesome 9 yr old!! I wish I was like her when I was nine!! A wonderful person!!
Julio Perez, who just decided to come by church one day and told us he wanted to be baptized... We'll see what we can do ;)
I love you all and hope you all have a great week!! Enjoy the weather!!
Elder Walter
Monday, April 4, 2011
Feasting on the words of the Prophet
Hello to all!!
Wow.. What a great conference weekend it was! Truly a spiritual feast! What a great day we live in where God has again called a prophet to the earth? With the established keys to lead and guide us to salvation through the merits of our beloved Savior Jesus Christ. I too add my witness to theirs, that Christ lives and speaks. That it is through, and only through, His atoning sacrifice that we achieve true and eternal happiness. It is by the principle of repentance that allows us to access the Atonement. Of which, when followed by baptism by someone who holds the priesthood of God, and the reception of the Holy Ghost, will bring about a binding salvation as we faithfully endure through and learn from the challenges of the world. This conference will bring to pass faithful endurance and spiritual guidance when applied.
In addition to the this weeks general conference, FELIZIDADES to the Duricka family and the Brems family!! As two more missionaries are added to the bunch!! Micheal Evan Duricka and Holden Eric Brems... haha I just realized that Holden's initials are HEB... That is the most popular grocery store in all of Texas and Northern Mexico!! I shop at the HEB Plus... So there you have it!! Congrats again!! Hope all is well with the boys and their parents! Love you all!!
This week was great, and the next few are shaping up to be even better. On the southside the temperature hit 96 the other day. They have long summers here. But things are looking super! We are working hard. This may very well be my companions last full week of work before... Transfers!! I have loved working with him. We have seen a lot of growth and success!! Thanks for your prayers and continue to rock at life!! Love y'all!!
Also Just want to say a big happy birthday to the papi!! Yep my dad's birthday is this week!! He has been traveling a lot for work but somehow he finds time to train for a the Mount Whitney climb he has in the middle of summer in California!! Love you dad!!
Elder Walter
Monday, March 28, 2011
Warming Up in San Antonio
Hello,
This week was a great one!! It was pretty warm and touched 89... But not quite 90. So that was pretty nice. Ben was confirmed a member of the church! It was a great morning and things seem to be looking real good for the future and we are very excited to keep working!! Nothing really new to report! We had a great Zone Conference on Thursday and the Assistants gave a great training on being bold and the boldness of Jesus Christ, and the boldness that he had as he taught and invited people to follow him.
President Jones has an incredible vision for the mission and I am very excited to be apart of it!! I am so grateful to be a missionary and am excited for general conference!! Remember to come with questions! The prophets will answer them!! Love yall!!
Elder Walter
Monday, March 14, 2011
Texas Pride
Para todo,
This week was great!! Elder Andreve and I are moving right a long. Like Jared behind a lawn mower. We just keep going. Summer is starting to creep in. It is like 80 degrees with a blanket on. A wool blanket at that. But we smile and teach, that's what we do here in the TSAM! Jajaja ok I will get off my high horse and swallow a bit of my Texas pride.
Really we have had a lot of fun this last week. We are still talking to a lot of great people. Brother Ben Countryman is getting baptized this Sunday!! He is very excited for that. We also got a referral from some members from the 5th ward who have a friend that has recently moved in with them. She has just had incredible miracles in her life that have led her to really want to find Christ. She is a real good story teller too jaja. Her name is Silvia Velmares. We went to James Rodriguez Jr.'s Birthday party. Nothing like a 6 year old's birthday party. We talked with James (the dad) and enjoyed the time with the family while we indulged on some great brisket. They are a great family who are progressing.
I am so grateful to be a missionary and to have the opportunity to meet these people. They have changed my life and continue to amaze me. They are incredible blessings in my life. I will add my testimony to that of Elder Ballard's, that, "as sure as I live--Christ lives". His life has changed mine and given me the reason to smile. Love y'all and hope all is well.
Elder Walter
This week was great!! Elder Andreve and I are moving right a long. Like Jared behind a lawn mower. We just keep going. Summer is starting to creep in. It is like 80 degrees with a blanket on. A wool blanket at that. But we smile and teach, that's what we do here in the TSAM! Jajaja ok I will get off my high horse and swallow a bit of my Texas pride.
Really we have had a lot of fun this last week. We are still talking to a lot of great people. Brother Ben Countryman is getting baptized this Sunday!! He is very excited for that. We also got a referral from some members from the 5th ward who have a friend that has recently moved in with them. She has just had incredible miracles in her life that have led her to really want to find Christ. She is a real good story teller too jaja. Her name is Silvia Velmares. We went to James Rodriguez Jr.'s Birthday party. Nothing like a 6 year old's birthday party. We talked with James (the dad) and enjoyed the time with the family while we indulged on some great brisket. They are a great family who are progressing.
I am so grateful to be a missionary and to have the opportunity to meet these people. They have changed my life and continue to amaze me. They are incredible blessings in my life. I will add my testimony to that of Elder Ballard's, that, "as sure as I live--Christ lives". His life has changed mine and given me the reason to smile. Love y'all and hope all is well.
Elder Walter
Monday, March 7, 2011
So Fast!
To all,
Hello to all!! I love y'all!! Things have been going good. Learning from people and in places I would have never thought jajaj. But it is fun. I am getting a little scared to realize how FAST this is going!! Jajaja I just want to make sure I fulfill everything I can in these two years. I have learned to take it one day at a time. Focus on what can be accomplished hour by hour and plan ahead how you are going to go about that. It slows things down and maximizes the amount of things that can be done. It is very efficient. Jajaja I really think my parents have been telling me that since I had my mom do my third grade book report because I ran out of time to do it. Jajaja look mom and dad I got it!! Katie is probably on to how to plan weekly, hopefully that doesn't take me another 15 years to learn that one.
Things are moving here on the southside. We have quite a few people that are close and a few where it is only time...
Julie Aldana is going through some tough times right now and it is slowing her progression but she is one tough cookie and just loves to continue.
Ben Countryman is so great!! He is so funny and loves going to church!! Jajaj he is quiet but listens and soaks in a lot of information.
The Rodriguez family (James, Itza, Eric, and Jaime) They committed themselves to coming to church which was a nice change of pace and James then committed Eric to keep the Sabbath day holy. Great family.
We also have Joann Carreon still who just wants to be baptized but we just have to work ou the logistics of her baptism because of her particular situation.
We love these people and we will keep working with everyone to help them keep coming closer.
I apologize for any spelling errors or grammatical errors. Moving back and forth between spanish and english no has given me ok spanish and ok english...
Elder Walter
Hello to all!! I love y'all!! Things have been going good. Learning from people and in places I would have never thought jajaj. But it is fun. I am getting a little scared to realize how FAST this is going!! Jajaja I just want to make sure I fulfill everything I can in these two years. I have learned to take it one day at a time. Focus on what can be accomplished hour by hour and plan ahead how you are going to go about that. It slows things down and maximizes the amount of things that can be done. It is very efficient. Jajaja I really think my parents have been telling me that since I had my mom do my third grade book report because I ran out of time to do it. Jajaja look mom and dad I got it!! Katie is probably on to how to plan weekly, hopefully that doesn't take me another 15 years to learn that one.
Things are moving here on the southside. We have quite a few people that are close and a few where it is only time...
Julie Aldana is going through some tough times right now and it is slowing her progression but she is one tough cookie and just loves to continue.
Ben Countryman is so great!! He is so funny and loves going to church!! Jajaj he is quiet but listens and soaks in a lot of information.
The Rodriguez family (James, Itza, Eric, and Jaime) They committed themselves to coming to church which was a nice change of pace and James then committed Eric to keep the Sabbath day holy. Great family.
We also have Joann Carreon still who just wants to be baptized but we just have to work ou the logistics of her baptism because of her particular situation.
We love these people and we will keep working with everyone to help them keep coming closer.
I apologize for any spelling errors or grammatical errors. Moving back and forth between spanish and english no has given me ok spanish and ok english...
Elder Walter
Monday, February 28, 2011
Survived Another Transfer
Hey all!!
This was a great week!! Good news too is that, Elder Andreve and I will be together again for another transfer! We are excited because there are a lot of people that we are teaching that are preparing themselves to be baptized. Also Genny Suarez who I was teaching for a month in St. Cloud C is now baptized and has the Gift of the Holy Ghost!! It is awesome!! A lot of great things have been happening and we are real excited to continue to work with them...
Just a few short notes of the people we are teaching:
Julie Aldana came to church this week and she heard the plan of Salvation and the plan God has for children with down syndrome which meant a lot to her because of her youngest son. She is soooo happy!!! I love it!!
Ben Countryman... That's right Brother Countryman. He is a gently giant, we invited him to be baptized and there was a 5 minute silence of him pondering, then he said he was unsure and that he wanted to read and pray. Jaja perfect!! He too came to church and loved it!! We will be passing by on Tuesday.
The Garcia family: Juan said he knew this was true and this is what he wanted to do, and Roci is still praying about it. They have so much desire, now they just have to align that with their actions. Super family!!
Joann Carreon is actually in an interesting situation. She lives in St. Cloud C's area, weird, but she comes all the way over here to go to church with her boyfriend. She was a referral and the first thing she told us was that the Book of Mormon is true and she wants to be baptized... That wasn't too hard ;) It will just come down to working through her situation.
Bobby Burge can finally come to church to find out for himself that it is true. I am so excited for this opportunity!!
We found an older woman named Lucy Hernandez who we taught the plan of Salvation and when we asked her to be baptized she answered, "if you can do it... I do want to go to the Paradise jaja." So she is awesome and will come to church next week.
I love you all and hope you all have a great week.!!
Elder Walter
(from other email)
On Sunday it was great. Every ward has a position called the ward mission leader. They are in charge of coordinating the needs of the missionaries with the ward and visa versa (sp?). Well Brian Montelongo is our ward mission leader in the 5th ward. He just got home from his mission from Arcadia, California. For the last three transfers I have been senior companion and I will be for the rest of my mission. Elder Berntson was the only senior companion I have ever had. So I feel like perhaps there are aspects of missionary work that I am missing out on... But He really has been like the senior companion to the senior companion jaja. He really helped me out with a lot of concerns I had had and helped me to see how I can become even better. It was great.
This was a great week!! Good news too is that, Elder Andreve and I will be together again for another transfer! We are excited because there are a lot of people that we are teaching that are preparing themselves to be baptized. Also Genny Suarez who I was teaching for a month in St. Cloud C is now baptized and has the Gift of the Holy Ghost!! It is awesome!! A lot of great things have been happening and we are real excited to continue to work with them...
Just a few short notes of the people we are teaching:
Julie Aldana came to church this week and she heard the plan of Salvation and the plan God has for children with down syndrome which meant a lot to her because of her youngest son. She is soooo happy!!! I love it!!
Ben Countryman... That's right Brother Countryman. He is a gently giant, we invited him to be baptized and there was a 5 minute silence of him pondering, then he said he was unsure and that he wanted to read and pray. Jaja perfect!! He too came to church and loved it!! We will be passing by on Tuesday.
The Garcia family: Juan said he knew this was true and this is what he wanted to do, and Roci is still praying about it. They have so much desire, now they just have to align that with their actions. Super family!!
Joann Carreon is actually in an interesting situation. She lives in St. Cloud C's area, weird, but she comes all the way over here to go to church with her boyfriend. She was a referral and the first thing she told us was that the Book of Mormon is true and she wants to be baptized... That wasn't too hard ;) It will just come down to working through her situation.
Bobby Burge can finally come to church to find out for himself that it is true. I am so excited for this opportunity!!
We found an older woman named Lucy Hernandez who we taught the plan of Salvation and when we asked her to be baptized she answered, "if you can do it... I do want to go to the Paradise jaja." So she is awesome and will come to church next week.
I love you all and hope you all have a great week.!!
Elder Walter
(from other email)
On Sunday it was great. Every ward has a position called the ward mission leader. They are in charge of coordinating the needs of the missionaries with the ward and visa versa (sp?). Well Brian Montelongo is our ward mission leader in the 5th ward. He just got home from his mission from Arcadia, California. For the last three transfers I have been senior companion and I will be for the rest of my mission. Elder Berntson was the only senior companion I have ever had. So I feel like perhaps there are aspects of missionary work that I am missing out on... But He really has been like the senior companion to the senior companion jaja. He really helped me out with a lot of concerns I had had and helped me to see how I can become even better. It was great.
Monday, February 21, 2011
So Many Blessings
Hello to all,
There were some great things that happened this week!! First though, Gwlyn Slaughter, who Elder Morales I taught and baptized on November 7th, passed away this last Wednesday. I got a call on Thursday from the Elders in the area he had recently moved to, that had said he had passed away from a sickness that was affecting his breathing. At first it was tough for me. But talking to Elder Morales was great. He really helped me to have faith in the Plan of Salvation. It was perfect timing. He was baptized, confirmed, and received the priesthood and endured for the rest of the time he had left on the earth. He is an incredible person. He was close to the Spirit. He was so reliant upon God and His love. When we found him he was walking just up Farragut st. and he told us he wanted to change his life. He was jobless, without a car, phone, bike, away from his family and was about to be evicted from his apartment. As we taught him, he went to the apartment manager and offered to do some work around the apartments to lower his debt, as well he walked and sold cans to afford bus fare to go to the churches employment service. Which he took 3 times a week until he got a job working the overnight custodial shift for a car dealership about a 2 hour bus ride away. All in the mean time, reading the Book of Mormon faithfully every night, praying on his knees every morning and night, and going to church every week... Gwlyn Slaughter was faith. By the time he had passed he was supporting his family of 4 and happily following the gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith precedes every blessing and miracle from God. Faith in God and His plan for each of us will bring happiness. Gwlyn's family is currently being taught by the missionaries and are progressing to baptism. As I was calling Gylwn after his move, he had always asked for me not to forget him because it was only fair as he would never forget me haha. I will never forget Gylwn and his love for our Savior and look forward to the day where I can introduce you all to him.
Other than that news, Julie and her daughter have been doing just great!! They are excited for their baptism in March. As well as this family we actually found on Monday. Juan and Roci Garcia. They are awesome and they are looking to change their life to be closer as a family. The first question Juan had asked is how can he communicate with God. And they took to prayer very quickly. And they are reading the Book of Mormon and are really coming to know God and Jesus Christ through those two. It is great!!
I love being a missionary. It is an honor to be the instrument of God's power to these people. I glory in our God and in His matchless love for these people (Alma 26). I love you all. Take care and have a great week.
Elder Walter
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentines Day
A todo,
This week we had the sweetest miracle!! As we were planning there was someone who we had been teaching and we had a time that we wanted to pass by, but we didn't know if she would be home when we passed by because of her work, but with faith we kept her there and were excited to meet with her. Sure enough... No estaba... Well we had planned to knock that street as a back-up anyways. Two houses later we met this woman who was looking for some help in finding a religion but one with the fullness of truth... So we came in and explained to her a little bit of our purpose and set up another time to pass-by on Friday... Well we go by and explain to her the Restoration and she says "sweet so when can I be baptized?"... hahahaha Well we said the 6th of March. And when she came to a baptism of some other Elders, and she said to the baptismee, "yay maybe you can come to my baptism!!" Hahaha her name is Julie Aldana!!! She is soooo nice!!! She is very sweet and has a good smile!! It was so nice!! She is a fabulous blessing in the area. And she has five children, one of which is baptismal age.
With that, Bobby Burge is looking for his answer but is looking and doing everything he needs too!! He is so sweet! I love going over and talking to him haha he is full of knowledge and just wants more. Elizabeth is still progressing she just has a few things that she has to overcome and it will be a little bit, but she is great and really funny! It is fun!!
Things are going great!! Thanks for your support!!! I love you all!!!
Elder Walter
Monday, February 7, 2011
Snow in San Antonio
Everyone!!!
So just when you think that the heat of San Antonio is all you have to battle, you go to bed after a cold day and wake up to a half an inch of snow everywhere. No one told me about that! Hahaha for the third time in San Antonio's history there has been a layer of snow on the ground, and the first since 1986. I would like to know the longest it has ever stayed because it was all gone by 3 that same day haha. But the whole city kind of started the weekend early and everything was shut down and closed. I am very glad I live in my area this transfer because President Jones said that we weren't to drive until the further notice... Apparently there were a lot of accidents. So Elder Andreve and I went out and knocked. y'all know what they say, when life gives you lemons, go out and knock because everyone is home in their houses because of the snow with their families who need the gospel. Ok so the saying isn't quite like that but it definitely fits in this situation.
So because of the weather it was a little crazy around the San Antonio area, but it was one of those times where it is the most fun to be a missionary because you can really see the blessings and miracles that follow your faith. God will bless you equal to your sacrifice. The more we are willing to sacrifice the more our Heavenly Father can bless us. I know that is true. Faith precedes every miracle. I know that that principle is true. If we put in the effort and the sacrifice to complete the work and glory of our beloved Father in Heaven, we will be blessed. It was a great day to be a missionary.
We found a couple of great blessings this week! We had a great zone meeting on Wednesday which we were then able to apply on a referral we contacted that same day. His name is Bobby Burge. He is very very nice and when it comes down to it, he just wants to know what he can do to know more about God. He reads, prays, asks questions, and everything. It is so helpful as a missionary! He is great and we set him with a date to be baptized on the 27th. We are going to work very hard for that goal to be realized.
We also met two families that are very interested in coming to church and being baptized they just have a few concerns to work over.
Elizabeth is great and the earliest she will be baptized is in March but she is awesome!!
and Jonathan is sick with the flu and so he is resting right now before he gets back at school and TWO sports... wow. But yeah, things are looking great. We will work hard to see what more the Lord can do. Love y'all!! Take care.
Elder Walter
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Working the New Area
Hello to all,
This week was a good one. A lot of great success as well as some... I will call them choice learning experiences haha. I love my companion Elder Andreve. He is so funny and down to earth. I think I can drive him up the wall sometimes, but he puts up with me haha. We work very well together and at times when I am frustrated with the work or something I did or whatever he is great at calming me down. This is at times sooo stressful and that isn't Spirit conducive. Elder Andreve has made me very calm and it always is a very fun environment. So yeah it is fun.
Jonathan was out of town for most of this week so it was tough for us to kind of meet with him... But we are working!! Victor and Elizabeth are progressing right along, they are working on just a few things but otherwise are solid for baptism. We met with the Hernandez family today!! Sooooo sweet!! They are an incredible family!! So ready!! Gary, the husband/father, recently has found God as he has gone through a ton of different life experiences. They are great!! Then we got this other referral, Named Bobby Burge. I gave him a call and he has read all of first Nephi and I called and he told me that it is very similar to the teachings of Isaiah and that he loves it. Well he sure is in for a surprise when he gets to 2 Nephi!! It is so sweet we are meeting with him on Wednesday!!
Well things are definitely moving over here. We are working out our kinks to help the work even more. Happy birthday to my mom on Wednesday and to everyone else happy groundhog day!!! But remember my mother!!!
Love, Elder Walter
Monday, January 24, 2011
First Transfer!
Hello all,
This was a very busy and fun week!! I was transferred on Thursday from the North Zone to the South Zone. I am in the 5th ward area. I am again covering one Spanish and one English ward. 10th ward is the English ward and the 5th ward is the Spanish ward. It is a lot different then good ole St. Cloud. A lot bigger of an area. It is right below downtown, reminds me very much so of where I used to live on the East Side of Vegas. It is very populated and a lot more dogs haha. We have had some close calls but my companion is showing me the ropes. My companion is once more a native Spanish speaker from Panama and unlike Elder Morales has only been in the United States for 2 years. his name is Elder Andreve. So we speak a lot of Spanish between us. It is nice. He is a great Elder, he actually came out with me. I have been out 6 weeks longer though because he only had to be in the MTC for 3 weeks learning spanish. So it is cool to be out with someone with that kind of experience. I got a call last night from the 5th ward Ward Mission Leader who asked me to give a talk in sacrament meeting next Sunday on missionary work. I am really excited to give my first spanish talk. I will start it tomorrow, otherwise I won't finish it haha. It will take me a long time to write it and translate it. But then I have Elder Andreve to make sure everything is good to go. It will be a great experience.
January 20th made it 3 years on that day that Elder Layton and the shorter one in the back (Elder Parkinson) knocked on my door ;). It was so great to really reflect on those two haha. They truly were two very prepared Elders. They were great because of how well they desired to fulfill their calling. They worked very hard to do just that. They were masters at following the Spirit which allowed them to be very successful in the most important work there is. It is weird to think that Jason had as many months in the mission as I do now. I am very grateful for those two Elders and for their example and love to see the Lord's work through. Now, they're still goofy with another goofy friend. I wish them the best.
Well speaking of January 20th, that was transfers. And we went out to contact this family that night. And in particular there was this 17yr old kid... Who had been reading the Book of Mormon... We asked if he liked it and had prayed about it... He had said he had and had received his answer... that yes the Book of Mormon was the word of God and that he wanted to be baptized... I think my mind just exploded of pure joy!!! It was the coolest and craziest thing! It was the coolest blessing ever!!
It was so great. I am so grateful to be a missionary and to be able to find and meet the great people we have. I love you all and hope all is well!!
Elder Walter
Ps this is my address!!
Elder Tommy Walter
130 Camino De Oro #603
San Antonio, TX 78224
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