Transfers!!! 5/3/10

Hello everybody!

Well I'm sure you are all so anxious to hear transfer information... Let me tell you something first. I've served faithfully in St. Anthony for 6 months now. From Nov 18th to now, May 3rd... 4 transfers. 13 baptisms. 2 companions. And now the verdict... are you ready???? I'm staying in St. Anthony another 6 weeks!!! I've actually known that I was staying for a while now because President Colton told me last week. He told me that Elder White doesn't know this area well enough to be on his own.

Oh boy, I don't know what to think about this. I'm pretty sure that President Colton has forgotten about me because I'm so far from Pocatello. Just joking I know he hasn't. 5 transfers?!?! that is forever! Don't get me wrong I love St. Anthony. I really do. The people are so great here. I just don't know how much longer I can stay in one area. I discovered that I am the only one of the 20 that came out with me that is still in my "birth" area. How great is that? Pretty much I've come to the conclusion that I'm spending 2 years here.

Some exciting news though... They are splitting this area! Because of the amount of work and baptisms we've had President Colton is adding two missionaries to this stake. I'm sure how I feel about this. I don't want some missionaries coming in and taking half of my area away from me. That's terrible! We found out that the other missionaries are going to be staying with President Walker. I hope I get to move out there. He's such a great man. I think that President Colton is going to ask me to split this area. Pressure! I don't know how to split up the work. I guess I'll be praying pretty hard the next few days. Which wards do I want and/or don't want?

As I'm sure everyone knows I had the great opportunity to see Chelsee on Friday. What a great experience that was. I love love love the Rexburg temple and soak up every opportunity I get to go. I must confess that I did do something I wasn't supposed to do. When President told me I could go he told me that there is one condition, "do not hug her in broad daylight" he said. Well let me just say when we pulled in the parking lot and I saw the "green machine" (the aveo) I got super excited. Then I saw my sister. I couldn't hold back I just gave her a huge hug in the parking lot of the temple. oops. My bad.

One of our ward mission leaders was in that session and when we got to the celestial room Chelsee came and sat by me and I put my arm around her for a second. Brother Hirschi looked at me all funny so I went to explain who Chelsee was and let him know that I'm not an apostate missionary. haha

What a great reunion that was. She had some great advice to give and some awesome stories to tell. I can't wait until I get to that point when I can tell some sweet mission stories.

I must say though that I got just a little trunky when I saw my cell phone and found out that she'll be reading this e-mail on MY brand new macbook laptop!!! It's okay. I can learn to share.

Well this week has probably been the hardest week of the mission; a definite trial of my faith. Without going in too much detail pretty much a summary is that we have two boys, Jonny and Jordan, that were supposed to be baptized on Saturday. Well their mom called us Thursday night to tell us that she doesn't want her boys to get baptized. Let me just tell you, when a child has such a desire to get baptized and someone tells them that they can't, not only does that rip my heart out but worse is that it kills me to see the sorrow that comes to them.

The next terrible thing is that Jace who also was supposed to get baptized on Saturday postponed his baptism to the 15th, which is okay because he said that he needed more time, which we respect. Well on our way out to the lesson last night he called us to tell us that he needs to take a break. AWW!!!! He knows this is true. He has a testimony and yet he is destroying his potential of becoming great! We know why he needs a 'break' and that is because of the influence of his stupid anti family.

Well long story short, I was feeling pretty bad for myself and was on the verge of depressed when I read a scripture that changed my perspective. In the book of Helaman ch.14 vs. 30 it says, "...whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself...for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves" I know that these people have the gift of agency because they are exercising that right to choose for themselves. Although it hurts, I know that when I stand at the judgement bar of Almighty God I will be guiltless because I did all I could to help them succeed.

There is a lesson to be learned here. We must do all we can to help others. We do not want to have a knowledge of a person that was placed specifically in our path to help and we did nothing. Reach out and exercise charity. You will experience something great.

Well this is a super long e-mail. I hope you all made it through. I love you all very much.

peace and love,
Elder Walker