2nd letter from Groningen, Netherlands - Week 43 (10 MONTH MARK!)

There is no official update today, but last week was definitely an eventful one!  He got in a fight w/his bike.  The bike won.  ;-)  It destroyed his glasses, glad that's the only thing it destroyed.  A few scrapes but he'll be ok.  

He said to tell everyone hello and  he loves you all and he'll update us all next week!  His 3 man is down to a 2 man now, as Elder Gross will be heading to Leiden to be a financial Elder for 6 months.  

Hoping for a better week and that he's able to get some new glasses soon!! :-) 

Bike 1, Elder Walker 0

 

1st letter from Groningen, Netherlands - Week 41 & 42

 Hey everyone!

Sorry I have been such a slacker with the blog email, but anyways I'm doing great, I'm now in the city of Groningen.  It's the furthest point north on the mission and it is super awesome.  It is a big college city and has a very lively atmosphere with a lot of open people, which is just awesome, like I'm loving it.  

My companions are great, I am in a three man as of now and I'm serving with Elder Jardine, and Elder Gross.  Elder Jardine is from Pleasant Grove Utah and Elder Gross is from Orem Utah and both are great missionaries whom I get along super well with!  So it's awesome we are killing it here. 

The Ward here is super awesome and is pretty big with a lot of young people.  haha the mission is super good!  So next Monday is 10 months on the mission, like that is insane!!  It doesn't feel like I have been out that long but ya know so is life. 

uhm right now I'm really focusing on the peace, happiness, love and light that the Gospel brings into our lives.  Like it is amazing, I have experienced it in my life as well as the lives of others, like on the mission I have had experiences that I walk away from completely uplifted and I cannot stop smiling.  Now that is true happiness, I love the happiness that the Gospel brings.  It's definitely different than the temporal joy its just a great feeling and I'm grateful that I can be out here on a mission and offer people the chance to come unto the tree and taste of the fruit which is sweeter than all that is sweet. 

I love all of you and I would challenge you to all think about what brings you happiness, what brings you peace, and figure out what to do to invite more of that into your lives.  Have an amazing week and may God be with you till we meet again.

- Elder Walker 

11th & final letter from Nijmegen, Netherlands - Week 40

Hey everyone it's Elder Walker here! 

Another transfer gone crazy!  It's also my last here in Nijmegen now.  I'm moving onto the City of Groningen.  It's in the very North of the Country (Netherlands) and is another very beautiful lively city! 

Haha, I haven't been there yet so I don't know too much about it, but I will be serving in a 4 man which will be super cool!  uhm, my new companion is Elder Jardine and he is from Pleasant Grove, haha, so super cool. 

I'll update you all a bit more next week have an amazing week.  Love you all!!  

- Elder Walker

Jerrick did say in his email to me that he spent most of his week sick in bed.  Sending prayers that he get's well soon!  Here are a few pictures I found on the Mission website.  I believe these are Zone Conference.  :) 

Elder Mancer & Elder Walker

(Left to Right) Elder Thom, Elder Brunner, Elder Walker & Elder Mancer

10th letter from Nijmegen, Netherlands - Week 39

Zone training in Eindhoven

Hey Everyone!

It's Elder Walker here! (yes the guy in the Netherlands).   Man this last week was super great!  Let's see, what happened this week. uhm, on P-day we went to the Open Air Museum in the city of Arnhem,which was absolutely cool.  

It is a group of old, old houses that they have taken from all over the Netherlands and have put them together in one area to make basically a village.  It's super cool to go see how people lived and to see how they make wooden shoe's.  Yeah, just a bunch of super, super cool stuff like that (history, haha my kinda thing).  And we just spent time with our district and today we are going to play Monopoly and Stuffon.

Tuesday we had an awesome zone training in Eindhoven, which are always a highlight of the week.  And then let's see, we also went to Brussels on Friday which was cool.  haha and which also means I no longer have an American drivers license!  Nope, it's for Belgium now, sooo that was cool.  

uhm, yeah we also were able to look up a lot of less active members with some members of the branch which turned out super super awesome!  We were able to have a good conversation with a couple of members and set up appointments to go back and visit them!  

Man I've just gotta say missionary work is amazing it is honestly the best feeling in the world to wake up every morning and know that you are doing an important work and that you have a purpose.  

This week I've really been focusing on how to set and accomplish goals. (something I've never been super good at) and it's been a cool experience.  I guess one thing that I've really learned from it is that  "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13 

haha I mean life isn't easy.  Making change's in our lives isn't easy, but through the power of the Atonement we can do hard things.  It's been such a privilege as a missionary to see just how true it is.   While being out here I have truly come to know that Christ stands shoulder to shoulder with us everyday.  That we aren't ever alone, that even when we are at our weakest if we put our trust in him we can do all things. 

So I would like to close by telling you all that I love you and I'm grateful to know all of you wonderful people! I'm grateful for what I have learned from you and all of the support.  I hope you have an amazing week!  loves! 

-Elder Walker

Nom Nom... :-)  Elder Walker w/his Companion Elder Thom (leaning forward w/the glasses on) chowing down w/the other missionaries at Zone Traning.

The members in Eindhoven take great care in feeding the missionaries during Zone Training

9th letter from Nijmegen, Netherlands - Week 38

Hey everyone it's Elder Walker here!

Sorry this week is going to be another short one, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing good and loving the mission life.  This week has been full of adventure, we met a man from Iraq who wants to become Christian and he came to church this Sunday.  He is so kind and humble and it is such a cool experience to help him come unto Christ.

This truly is the Lords work. I also went down to Belgium to get a Belgian drivers license! haha, goodbye American identity, well at least for a little bit, soo that was super fun!

This up coming week we have a zone training which I'm super excited for and the days are starting to get longer, haha that means it's close to being time for sunshine!  Yes my favorite! 

I love all of you and want to let you know God love's you and he knows you personally.  I have seen that so many times on my mission, I have come to know that he knows me on a personal level and he is always here to support me.  Honestly that has brought me so much peace.  

He knows you and he is always there by your side.  There is not a second of the day where you cannot talk to him and lean on him.  He is there to talk to and to trust in, and I promise if you seek to know him you will find him and it will bring more peace and assurance than anything else ever has. 

I love you all, may God bless and I'll talk to you soon! 

- Elder Walker

7th & 8th letter from Nijmegen, Netherlands - Week 36 & 37

Hey Everyone! 

It's Elder Walker here!  The last couple of weeks have been super busy with the holidays, but the work is going forward.  God definitely has a plan and is hastening the work.  We have found a couple very promising investigator's this last week.  Elder Thom and I are super super excited to get to know them better in coming weeks! 

Yeah I'm doing well!  Christmas and New Years was awesome and full of joy! haha and I hope it was the same for all of you!  

Sorry I don't have a lot of time today but all is well and I love all of you amazing people.  I know that our Heavenly Father does too.  May God be with you till we meet again and I hope your New Year is full of joy, peace, and light.  

Love,

- Elder Walker

6th letter from Nijmegen, Netherlands - Week 35

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful time of the year, its truly a blessing to be on a mission during this time.  Yes I'm far away from my family and all of you amazing people that I love dearly, but my heart is warm and at peace and not far away from home.  

There is so much love from the people over here and being a missionary around this time of year has allowed me to focus truly on what Christmas is all about, and why it is such a joyous warm time of the year.   The answer is simple, it's our Savior Jesus Christ.  It's a time of the year where everyone opens there hearts up a little bit more, they give a little bit more, spend more time with those who they love and cherish, and this is because we let the light of Christ into our hearts, so yeah I will keep this short but I just want to challenge you all to find out what the actual meaning of Christmas for you is. 

Whether that be remembering Jesus Christ, serving others, remembering what is good in the world, spending time with family, whatever it is just find it and hold onto it this Christmas season and I promise that by doing so you will have the warmest Christmas yet. 

I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he is our Savior.  That he can and is willing to heal every scar, broken heart, and beaten down spirit.  That he brings peace, forgiveness, joy, light, love hope and so many other things into this world and he can bring them into our lives, all we have to do is let him. 

Merry Christmas!  With love from the Netherlands.

- Elder Walker

Elder Walker and Elder Hill's Christmas photo shoot.  haha  :-D