Hello Everyone,
Well the transfer news is in and Dad has somehow already found out what's going on! Haha. Got to love the members in Idaho. Well if you don't know by now I am going to Menan Idaho to train a new missionary. I will be released from my assignment as a Zone Leader to focus all of my attention on Menan and this new Elder I'll be picking up on Wednesday. Because we're both going in to this new area together we call this a "white wash" where there is no missionary in the area that knows where things are or who anyone is - we get to start fresh.
I want to share with you what President Colton told me about my new assignment as a trainer but I hope you don't think I'm boasting, just sharing a compliment that was given to me. I called President right after we received transfer info to ask him a question regarding another issue, while talking with him he asked me if I was excited to serve in Menan. I responded by telling him that I was very excited to train a new missionary but that I wasn't sure about Menan because I don't know anything about that place. President told me the reason he is putting me there is for a couple reasons:
1. He said it is very similar to St. Anthony in the way missionary work is done and working with the members so I'll know how to get things done.
2. He told me that for a while now the missionaries in the area have killed the relationships with the members and have destroyed the work. He told me that he's sending me there for the purpose to turn it around and re-build the relationships with the members. How great is that! I've always wanted to white wash train in a dead area! This is going to be a great opportunity to work hard and build from the ground up rather than continuing to build from what was left. Nothing has made me happier than to hear President say that he's putting me there to turn things around because that means he trusts me and knows what I can and will do.
It's crazy to think that my new missionary is having his last day in the MTC right now and probably way excited to get to work. New missionaries are the best because they have so much faith and desire that miracles happen. Tonight I'm going with some other Zone Leaders, who are getting released to train as well, to Pocatello for the "train the trainers" meeting and dinner with President and Sister Colton.
I'm pretty sure I'll conclude my mission in Menan which is just the way I wanted it to be with 4 areas. Exciting things are about to happen. I can't wait until next Monday to tell you all about my new adventure. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to remember how to be a regular missionary though ;)
Yesterday was stake conference (President Polson's granddaughter spoke about the recent trek they went on) and I learned an interesting principle. Tomorrow I hit my 20 month mark of being a full-time missionary and at each month mark I take a few moments to ponder and then write in my journal the lessons I've learned from the past months of service. 20 months is a big mark because now is when the end seems too close and time is too quick. As I was pondering on the past 20 months of my life I heard this quote from conference, "becoming a better person is a process, not an event." The speaker continued to explain that the process takes time, focus, and a diligent effort. I truly believe that my mission and especially my experience as a Zone Leader has caused me to become a better person. It's interesting to look back on the experiences we have and see how time, focus, and a diligent effort played a part in God molding, shaping, and building us. I am the person I want to be and am continually becoming who I want to be in the future. I have found reading past journal entries to be a great way to see the development I've experienced. I was reading a page from when I was in Pocatello serving with Elder Rudd and I saw this, "I am so happy. Why am I so happy? It's because of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
I'm super excited for the next adventure in my life. I'm going to miss Idaho Falls and Elder Owens but I know there are great lessons to learn in the next 4 months of my life.
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Peace and Love,
Elder Tyson Rigby Walker
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