January 25, 2016 "Rain"

Hi guys,

Guess what?! :D I had a boss week.

I had a great week I got to go on splits with brother stokum who is 96 years old he doesn't use a cane or walker or anything so he walks around on his own 2 feet he was baptized at 90 years old. We also went out with him to a lesson it was super good we gave the person a blessing and helped them out them talked to them and made them happy!!!

This poem was written by a missionary I lived with at my last area.

Elder Thomas he is cool. And this is a really good Poem.

Whenever I've heard of rain in a tale

It stands for sadness or grief.

But from a small desert town in Arizona

I now see it as relief.

The rain means a cloud is blocking the sun

So we cannot feel its light.

And with the rain comes thick heavy storms

That roll on through the night.

Inside, the siorms reflect our own lives,

The burdens and trials we bear,

And it feels as though we've been left all alone,

That God no longer does care.

"Oh, Lord, why must you torment me so?"

We cry to the heaves above,

Have I done some evil, something bad, something wrong

So that you would withdraw your love

"This rain is so heavy, so cold on my skin.

I'm shivering, soaked to the heart.

And any fire I light to warm me this night

Is put out before it can start

"Then the lightning flashes and the thunders roar

And an old tree bursts into flames.

Then that fire will spread until everything's dead

And I'm left with no shelter to ciaim."

So we sit for some time, too weary to move,

And forget that the sun stili shines.

When from far above the dark clouds in the sky,

The Lord softly, gently reminds

"My child, my child, lift up your head.

I am here, and always will be.

I will open your eyes, and you might be surprised

To know what it is that i see.

"Consider the rain, my dear little child,

For ail the good that it does,

And remember that I see the future to come,

Not just what is and what was.

"The rain soaks your clothes, true, weighing you down

And you struggle with every stride.

But when the storm comes and the winds blow hard

The weight means you're not pushed aside.

"The lightning comes hard, yes, and lights up the sky

And the fire burns away the old.

But without the rain, those flames would spread

And it couid never be controlled.

"And when the old's gone, there is space in the ground

For new, stronger things to grow.

And the old feeds the young as it climbs for the sun

Bringing better protection in tow.

"So rernember, my child,

I don't punish with rain

But I use it to strengthen your soul.

Because my rain isn't like that from storm on the earth:

It's Living Water, pure and whole."

So now when I see all the storms of my life

I no longer just think of pain,

But now like the man in that dry, desert land

I say "Lord, I am grateful for rain."

BIG NEWS!!!!!!! They changed transfers. Transfers now we find out transfer news Thursday and then Friday we go to our new area. Either member rides or public transportation like the light rail or rides

from mission vehicles are the way of transportation I think that that is crazy don't you? Public transportation to go to a new area. Before we got transfer news on Saturday and we went to our new area Tuesday after transfer meeting!

Love you guys!

Elder Walker

Lord of the Rings

Star Wars

            

January 18, 2016 Hard Times

Hey y'all this week has been pretty stressful I have just been going through a hard time. Guess what?!?! I have one of the greatest friends I've EVER had!!!! They sent me a email and in it they said "hit the floor with your knees and give thanks instead of hitting the wall with your fists and cursing God for all you are going through.......the blessings will always outweigh the misfortunes" you know those words hit me soooo hard and ever since I got that email I have been looking back on the week and have been noticing all the blessings I have received well the more I ponder those words in he email the more the words come to pass the blessings will always outweigh the misfortunes. How true that is!!!!

This week has been great. We have been praying for a family to teach praying over and over with real intent and well Friday we met this family who we taught the restoration to, and well they were very receptive. they asked us to come back and in their home was a wonderful spirit, a spirit of peace and an extreme spirit of love the mother is sooooo prepared.

Another blessing is that my stress went down when we got to play dodgeball and ultimate frisbee during game night on Wednesday it was funny we played dodgeball and everyone got out except for me on my team and I dodged their balls and picked them off one by one. Until I won the game!!!!

We had a really good time doing 2 service projects we set up chairs at the church and then we went to the Spanish ward and helped them out at the bishops house at least I think he's the bishop. O.o we helped make a shed but we had to leave just as they were putting up the wall. We

went to a Spanish lesson and led out of el libro de Mormon Jacob capitulo 1 it was super crazy because even though I didn't understand any words being said I felt the spirit strongly.

So you may be asking hmmmm what were you doing in Spanish ward well a missionary the one from Texas was sick and has been since December 26 the day after Christmas well he is improving so he is able to go to work now but since he was sick president Sweeney didn't want him out working and if y'all are thinking like sort of sick no he was like he had to pack a suitcase to go stay at the mission home and once he packed it he was in a cold sweat and his energy was nearly spent. But he is doing well now but that is why we were in Spanish work because

we had to do our 2 wards and the Spanish ward.

Guess what is crazy about church in my new area?!?! We are in church by 7:30 no later and we leave at 2:00-2:30 that is crazy we have 7 hours of church!!!!! I went from 2 hours to 3 hours to 7 hours. Riverview is an awesome ward the bishop is cool and the people are awesome!!! Mesa 5th is an awesome ward as well I feel an awesome spirit of unity when I am there I just feel so close to the members and close to the elders quorum it is awesome!!!

Well there are lots of blessings I know that the priesthood is true I felt the power of the priesthood this week as I asked for a blessing elder Wayment gave the blessing I remember 2 words that were said because so profound was the effect it had on me. He said peace and comfort and immediately after him saying those words an extreme feeling of peace came upon me.

So something that's cool in our mission is that our president was inspired to approve inside out the Disney movie. I love that movie it just helps me get in such a good mood we can only watch it on p-days.

Well have fun reading this email sorry it was sooooo long and long and

longer still!!!!

Have a wonderful week y'all!!!!

Elder Walker