Oh my goodness!!! I don't even know where to start!! Well, I guess I should probably start at transfers... I got moved to Phenix City Alabama :) (no, that's not Phoenix, Arizona). It's in the Columbus Stake. For starters, this apartment is absolutely palace material! The apartment complex is called Windsweep Court Luxery apartments. haha man, such a huge difference from where I came from...It's also not very southern at all...the ward is such a Utah ward due to the army. Oh well :) I am in a trio now for the next three weeks :) My companions are Sister Hathaway and Sister Baker. Sis Hathaway goes home in three weeks :( but she is absolutely amazing. She doesn't feel like she's going home which means she's working super hard and still loving the work :) Sis Baker happens to be one of my first Sister Training Leaders! So I've known her my entire mission :) we're going to finish the transfer off together and that'll be awesome :) They're both from Utah (of course) and we know how to have a good time. hmm let's see what else...oh! Another amazing miracle is that we are having a baptism this weekend! Takesha Paige is getting baptized :) She is amazing. She's 4' 11" and teeny tiny, but her Spirit radiates! She has a fiery two year old that's going on 20. I don't really know what to say about her because I've only known her for a week, but she's awesome :) Pics will come next week :)
So this week was awesome, but filled with meetings. Which were just as awesome :) We had the transfer meeting on Tuesday and let me say that that transfer meeting will go down in the history of this mission. Every single person who was getting moved got put with someone they knew. Most of the pairs are really good friends. Like, pretty much everyone got to be with the one missionary that they've always wanted to serve with. We were all amazed (president included) at the number of joyful shouts that filled the room during that meeting. It truly was a tender mercy and blessing from the Lord. The change happened not too far from Christmas, and He knows how hard these changes are. He wanted us all to be happy for Christmas:) haha it was amazing... Then we had a Zone Meeting on Thursday in which we learned tons of cool things. The real highlight was on Saturday though. We had the Christmas Conference with half of the mission. Elder Giddins from the 70 came to talk to us about getting immersed in the scriptures and likening them unto us. I could go on and on about his wonderful trainings, but I'll save that for later :) President also read us Christmas stories and there were nativity skits and christmas carols sung. Overall, it was amazing :)
A huge miracle and blessing happened to us yesterday after church.. We stayed after to talk to a less active member for a while..a bit longer than we had originally wanted, but he needed to talk to us. After the conversation, we were getting ready to leave and the Bishop caught us. He introduced us to this woman named Heather who worked with a member that he knew. She had come to check out the church, but due to mis-communication, didn't arrive in time for the actual service. Bishop was helping her out with some things and while she was waiting for him, we started talking to her. She wanted to know more about us and everything. We ended up taking her on a tour of the church building and she absolutely LOVED it! The entire time, the Spirit was super strong and we were able to teach her much about Christ's church :) She mentioned how there were so many misconceptions about Latter Day Saints and she was so happy to have them cleared up. We have a return appointment with her on Thursday :) She's super excited to learn more! Another cool little thing was that I apparently look EXACTLY like her daughter in law. She kept looking at me weird when I talked because I'm identical. She kept mentioning how much of a glow and happiness she can see in us as members and how comfortable she felt with us and in the building. She also said that the fact that I looked identical to her sister made it even easier too :) She's gonna get baptized :)
Oh! Another experience that happened this week was a lesson with Richard. Richard apparently has been taking the lessons for a while, but he hasn't been keeping any commitments or reading the scriptures or doing anything that the sisters have asked him to do. So we go visit him one last time on Friday to see if anything has changed. He's in his 80s and was just sittin on his porch when we pulled up to his trailer. As we sat down and got talking to him, it was clear that he just like the sisters coming over because they were good company. He gave cop-out answers to all of our questions and I started getting frustrated with him! Haha there was a point when I was like "Richard! How do you get to Heaven?" He responded with "By living good." I was like "And how do you live good?" his response was "Live hard and die young!" haha sister Baker said out of the corner of her mouth "Well, it's too late for that..." but I kept ragging on him and making him explain his answers and talk about the specifics of what he needs to do. We talked about how we all can improve and change, but when it comes down to it, this guy doesn't want to change right now. We asked him what could be holding him back from coming to church and he said he needed new pants. We told him to get some! He said that he doesn't have the money right now....and that he'll get it someday. haha man, I kept throwing questions at him (he's the kind of guy that you can be bold, upfront, and blunt with thank goodness..). At some point, I think he was kind of getting annoyed with me and he said "Do you want me to take my shoe off?" I said "Why would you do that?" he said "To knock you upside the head with it." haha he was messin around and stuff because that's just the way he is, but at the end of the day, we just told him that it's up to him now. If he wants to start making those changes and trying to progress, then he will call us. I was thinking about this on the car ride to the next place... There are a couple people in the Book of Mormon who don't have very much written about them. And what is written isn't very much. Just that they said something meaningful in a crowd or were part of a certain army or something. If our actions were recorded, what would they say about us? Everyone says that it's the thought that counts...and that does count for something! But it's our actions as well as our thoughts that will be recorded in Heaven. How do we want people to remember us? Do we want to be someone that just stays in place? Or maybe does one good thing for the neighborhood, then sits back and says "I've done my part." Christ's church is about progression. That's one of the biggest things I've learned on my mission. We are here to work, to progress, improves and help others to do the same. If we aren't moving forward towards God, then we're moving backwards away from him.. Don't be afraid to make those changes necessary. No one's perfect :) We all have room to improve and be better. The sooner you start, the more time you'll have to perfect. :) That was a huge lesson learned this week :)
Another family we're working with is the Howell's. The parents and oldest son got baptized in September and have integrated into the ward perfectly. The dad Tom just got the priesthood and blessed the sacrament a couple weeks ago, and he got his Patriarchal blessing yesterday. We're still working with their daughter Pearl. She really wants to get baptized for the right reasons and we've been helping her to continue to learn and grow in her Gospel knowledge. She's going to get baptized as soon as she can give up coffee and get up for church haha :) But I just wanted to make yall aware of that family. They're awesome, but not exempt from the struggles that every family goes through :)
So those are the highlights for this week! I'll attach some pictures from this week, then I'll send another one with the pics I promised last week :)
Love yall!! Hope you're enjoying this wonderful holiday season! :)
Love
Sister Walker
Me, Sis Tevi, and Sis Clause. We're awesome :) Sis Tevi goes home this transfer!! :'( :'(
our little christmas arrangement :)
PS-Hannah's new mailing address is
15 Windsweep Ct. 315 D
Phenix city AL
36870
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