On Cloud Ten - July 25, 2011

I figured cloud ten is just a little bit better than nine. 

The red thing with white in it is a fruit that tastes like a starburst. 

Everything is going great right now! All of my investigators are progressing real well. A father of a family finally came to church, mulitple people have started following the Word of Wisdom, and the family I talked about at first are finally getting married!!! It has been about five months since Elder Evans started teaching them and about four months waiting for them to get married so they can get baptized. And we had a huge dinner appointment last night, so that made me happy too. 

So this past week we decided to live like Malagasy's and eat rice and loaka (loaka is just the stuff you eat with rice) So on Sunday after church I sat down and sorted the grain out of the rice and Elder Evans cooked the sausage we bought and had a good Malagasy meal. On a side note, I'm so sorry for eating so much food. It can get really expensive if you don't budget right. But I am still healthy and strong and happy to serve to Lord. 

I just wanted to show you some of the names in Mada. [Boy, those are a mouthful!]

And last but not least some of the friends you might get if you leave the window open over night.

I've been switching shoes since the MTC, and Elder Evans has been using the same shoes his mission, they have needles through his shoes and bent so they soles don't fall off.
If you guys are getting the pictures fine, I'll keep using this because it works fine.
I've gotten letters from Maddie, Shai, and Shannon sent a DearElder to Madagascar when I first got into the MTC :)

That's crazy about Cache [Guzy]and Brad [Davis - both got their mission assignments changed until they can get Visas]. A mission is good anywhere though. And they will definitely miss the food there. Because othere places in the world do not have candy like America. 

Well I love you all. Remember to forgive people that have offended you in any way. Even if they show no sign of forgiveness or repentance. And if you have a hard time loving someone, serve them. It helps a lot. And if you cross the street, look both ways ;) I have learned so much from my family and all my friends. If someone is thinking about not going on a mission, they will miss out on so much. You progress so much, and I've only been out for almost four months! 

Oh and 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMA!!!!!
I love you so much! And everyone else too, I guess.

Love 
Your son, Elder Walker

Waiting for blessings - July 18, 2011

[I told Brad that I didn't understand his scripture for me - thus, the explanation.] And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last-born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee.
 I was trying to point out that part. You were always there to pick someone up. You were always there when I was down, to lift me up. 

That's so crazy about Dani, she is like a mini Nat. Away from home more than at home during the summer :) Apparently they don't send missionaries to Reunion [a smaller island that is part of his mission] unless they have French experience (knock on wood). You guys have been married for 29 years??!! No wonder you guys are basically falling apart. Dad you better take it slow until I get back so we can play some basketball when I get back. 

So the teaching has been going good. I've started to wonder if I'll ever get tired of people asking to be baptized after hearing just the first lesson... probably not. The people here amaze me everyday! My teacher from the MTC, Brother O'day, came and taught with us on Sunday. It kinda through me off my groove because I was thinking of phrases he taught me to say and also thinking of just the way I learned to teach while in Mada. I couldn't decide what to say and it just came out weird. Oh well, they still want to learn so everything is alright. I don't know all the members, but we went to a member's house last night to have a soire (meal appointment) and they have been members for 6 years. They also have been to the temple in South Africa. The food was really good there, we had lots of rice, beans and fat. I know it sounds gross but when you cook fat the right way it is very tasty. You just have to make sure you cut it up into little enough pieces because it comes in big chunks. Don't worry I'll make it when I get back.

Well I didn't get any scriptures for anyone but I'll keep looking. I want to testify about waiting for blessings. As missionaries we are told to obey to exactness. As members we are told to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect. Both of these goals are very hard to accomplish. So when we make progress toward that goal, we want the promised blessings right away. But if we continue to obey and try to be perfect instead of wait for the blessing until we progress again, then we will be so much happier; with ourselves and from the continuous blessings we will receive. I am still learning how to do this. But I know that Heavenly Father is always ready to give us blessings when we follow him in love. We just have to remember to pray, ask for blessings along with follow the commandments and have patience.

 Elder Walker

This week was a bit slow - July 11, 2011

This week was a bit slower but me and Elder Evans are still working hard. I'll just start off with some scriptures that I thought fit some people in the family.

Dad: 1 Timothy chapter 3
Mom: 2 Nephi 3:1 [What the heck does this mean for me?]
Phil: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 and Moses 3:24 (I figured if I bug him enough, he will have to retaliate)
Anyways I will find scriptures for everyone soon enough don't worry :)

Well me and Elder Evans picked up an investigator who was out of town for work and when we went to teach him he said that he has been to every church and has been learning from the missionaries way too long and has decided to be baptized with the next people getting baptized (which is July 30th) He understands everything, he seems way diligent and possibly the new Elders quorum president. I'm just calling it right now :) Well when we went to teach someone, he wasn't home, but luckily a lady came up to us and said she wanted us to teach her and her family! We got to know her a little and found out that she learned from the missionaries from two years ago! So we will see how that works out.

Just a random thing that made me chuckle in Sacrament Meeting... Elder Evans and I sit at the back of the chapel and he pointed out that none of the people's feet were touching the ground. All of the Malagasy's, young or old, man or woman, all of them could not touch the ground when they sat straight up in the chair!

Well by now, I'm used to everyone looking at me and little kids yelling french words at me, trying to be friendly. Which surprisingly, puts them in shock when I speak Malagasy to them, even if it's the same kids the next day! I don't know, I guess some kids learn slower than others... But I am getting pro at French numbers! Quiz me on any number in French - I know them all (as long as its below 69) .

We were eating breakfast in our apartment and I looked out the window and saw a guy in a papaya tree (which are very skinny) poking at another, higher papaya tree with a stick, trying to get some papayas. When finally he got the papaya loose, it fell and as he was trying to save it from smashing to the ground, he leaned too far, broke the tree he was on, and landed on his back! Luckily, he was all right and everyone that saw got a really good laugh at it. Sadly, they now have one less papaya tree. (The papaya was smashed also.)

So everyone's bike has the proper amount of parts to transport them to the next appoinment. Hopefully we get new bikes soon.

That is so crazy about the stake counselors! I love Doug Nielsen, he was an awesome bishop.

I'm glad that everyone is doing good, I would say more but I got to go and teach and preach and do as missionaries do! I love everyone and so should you!
Elder Walker

My legs are huge! July 4, 2011

I'll try that writing out thing next time, because I always forget to tell you good stuff that goes on. [His uncle told me to suggest that he write out his letter before he goes to the place to email because it is hard to type AND think of everything that he wants to tell us.]

So to start out with the good stuff, Elder Evans' bike lost it's left pedal. So we ended up tying an exercise elastic band to the back of my bike and to the front of his bike... Do you know how hard it is to pull 180 pounds of missionary?! Through the sand! Pretty hard! Luckily we switch off after every appointment. And we have Heavenly Father helping us along the way too :)

I got all the DearElders and Melissa's letter!!! One of the couples from the mission home came up to inspect our house for cleanliness, so they brought the letters with them. (Just so you know Mom, our house was the cleaner one of the two) It's funny to read about what's going on with all my other friends, I can totally hear their humor in their writing! I especially liked Olex's comment about making a new hole in his belt... the good way:) I had a good laugh.

I am so blessed to come here. One day last week, we didn't plan enough appointments for the day so we just decided to go tracting. We picked up 15 new investigators that day! Everyone here is so nice, or they just don't know how to turn someone down. Either way, it's a plus! So turns out that the couple didn't get married so they aren't getting baptized this week. I just don't think they are motivated enough to walk into town and spend an hour or two to get everything sorted out and receive eternal salvation, but whatever. Just kidding, but that is a problem in this country, they don't like to take the initiative sometimes, so you have to do it for them.

So, new fact I found out this week: Congo just passed Zimbabwe in baptisms, and are now the top baptizing mission in the world! Do you know who is third?.... Madagascar! I'm not bragging, "just zayin".... (Mom quote) Oh, cool thing. We saw a missionary from 2005 and talked to him for a little bit. It was really cool to see his perpsective from 6 years ago. Turns out that he was one of the first Elders in Tamatave. And back then they only had two areas and one church. Now there are five areas and two churches. Another cool thing is that he taught and baptized a guy who is the husband of one of our investigators now!

So for P-Day today we might just go to an American sandwich place and count that as our BBQ. We are lazy and don't want to clean anything up haha. But Brother O'Day  from the MTC is up here in Tamatave and is gonna hang out with us along with the 2005 missionary. (I don't know his name)

That's so crazy for Brian and Melissa! [They are looking at architecture jobs in Seattle.] I really hope they get the job so they can be rollin' in the dough by the time I get back so they can bake me some homemade bread! Translation: I hope they get the job so they can be really rich by the time I get back and they can give me a lot of money for free... Or just give me a loaf of homemade bread for free.

I'm glad Sister Vlam loves reading my blog. She is so fun to be around! Sister Vlam, will you have dinner with my family this next Sunday? I just know they will love for you to come!

About the magic tricks. Yes I do have magic tricks. Yes, I do show them to everyone if I remember to bring a coin with me. And yes, that could be the only reason we get return appointments with some investigators :) Not really, but I am getting pretty good at my two magic tricks haha

Well I'll just end with this, if you ever feel like you are alone, pray. If you ever feel sad, pray. If you are ever mad at someone, confused about something, totally lost about what to do next, pray. It's a commandment to pray, we need to pray. I forgot where it is in the scriptures but it talks about what you should pray about and where and when, I'll translate it into modern day revelence... (is that the word, I don't know English) "Pray in your house, pray for safety, pray for health, pray in your car, pray at work and school, pray for your children and friends, pray before you sleep and after you wake up, pray while you are walking somewhere, pray when you don't want to pray. And when you are not praying, always have a prayer in your heart."  I don't know about you, but that pretty much covers the whole day. It might feel weird to pray a lot at first because you think you run out of stuff to say. But you find new things, then you build an actual relationship with your Heavenly Father. He is your literal father, you should talk to him. And hey, you might just receive more blessings in your life.

I love you all and am very jealous that you are seeing Transformers! haha I'll talk to you next week!
Elder Walker