June 28, 2010

Well hey, how ya doing? Life here is great. I love it. This week has been great. This week we had two workdays or exchanges with the other elders in our apartment. The first was on Tuesday where I went with Elder Simonson’s “blue” and we contacted all day. He was a great example for me. He basically did all the contacting. Every time when I was about to say something he would cut me off. He is a great guy and an awesome missionary. Oh, by the way, his name is Elder Berrett and he is from Highland, Utah. Then, on Friday, I went with Elder Simonson and we did some service and helped someone in his ward move. On the way over to her new house with all the stuff, I was in the car with her landlord and he was asking about my religion and what we do. Then, Elder Simonson was in the other car and they had to go back and get something that fell off the truck. So, I was all alone with Jean, the landlord, and it was really weird. We got to the house and I was all alone and ya it was way weird. Then we got to go do some contacting and we had a great time.

Saturday, that was a day. We did sports in the morning and it was freakin hot! I don’t get this weather. It is raining, then it is hot and sweat is running down your face. You are thinking to yourself, “I am going to have a heat stroke and it will not be good.” Well, we played soccer or as we call it over here football and I was dying, it was fun. Then, Elder Broadway wasn’t feeling well at all. So, he called Sister Staheli and she told him to get some rest so I spent the whole day in the apartment. I was trying to read Jesus The Christ, but I fell asleep for an hour. Then I made dinner and read some talks out of the church magazine. Then, yesterday Sister Staheli told him to call a doctor and go see him. So, we did that and we are now going to the doctors at some point of time. So that has been fun.

Well, transfers are coming up. We will find out Saturday if I am staying or going. I will probably tell you if I am going or what when we have to check our e-mails on Saturday. I will just leave ya a quick note.

Well, our baptism date - something is wrong because we called him an hour before our rendezvous (appointment) and he was fine with it. Then, he has disappeared. We have not been able to get a hold of him or anything. We think something is wrong because he wants to be baptized and he knows this is the true church but he has just disappeared. So, the date is on hold for the moment.

Everything else seems for the most part to be doing great. Life is good so I am happy. Well, I love you all and hope you have a great week and HAPPY 4TH OF JULY this upcoming Sunday. I hope you will have fun and watch a lot of fireworks for me. I love you all and hope you have a great week. TTFN LOVE ELDER WALKER

June 21, 2010

Hey, how is it all going? Well, guess what? We had another baptism this week. Here is the story. Awhile back, our companionship was teaching this kid Timothy. His mom was less active and her other son also, but we were teaching this kid. Then he moved to Charleroi 1 so we had to pass him. Well, he got baptized this week. It was pretty cool. In the end we ended up teaching 1/2 the lessons and then Charleroi 1 taught the other 1/2. It was awesome. They are from Africa and the mom speaks Lingala. So, Elder Broadway, the mom, a friend and I sang a Lingala song. It was slick. I still have it, so I will have to record it on a memory card and send it. It is pretty cool.

Well, some bad and good news. Our baptism date will not make it for the 3rd but we fixed another date for the 17th. His mom got into a depression and threw herself down the stairs and broke her foot. So, he was over there for the past week, so, we never got to teach him. He didn’t come to church but everything is fine right now, so that is good. And in other news, the member, Patrick, that we go teaching with and have lunch with every Saturday, left to go on vacation. He went to America and he will be there for about 3 weeks. So, if I leave on the next transfer I won’t be able to see him again, but if I stay all is well. So, whatever happens, I will be happy. Life is good.

Well, some corrections on the questions for last week. We had zone conference and I found out that we have the biggest mission in Europe with 183 missionaries. The next biggest is London South mission in England with 140 plus or minus some. And the work here is just on fire. They are calling it the miracle of 2010 or that is what President Staheli is saying. He told us there are 19 baptisms for July 3rd, it is great. The work is just moving on through.

Like I said, we had zone conference this past week in Bruxelles (Brussels). It was great to see that place again, I missed it. It was also great to see the other missionaries there also. They told us another story about 2 more missionaries who almost died of carbon monoxide because they took the batteries out of the detector because it was making a beeping noise. So, we had a talking to on that and to make sure our co2 detectors are working.

Oh yes.... yesterday....... Sunday...... sacrament......the talk.... ya ça va pas. It is one thing to give a talk in your own native language. It is another thing to give one in another language. For example: franças moi je suis pas d'accord. Well, it went ok. People said it was good but let me tell you I was freaking out. My hand was shaking and everything! Oh man! Oh man! But people said it was ok. They were just saying that so I wouldn't feel bad probably.

Well, life is good. Things are going good and everything is F.I.N.E. (Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional - Italian Job - good movie) Well, I love ya and hope you have a great week. TTFN LOVE ELDER WALKER

June 14, 2010

Hey family, how is everything going? Oh, by the way, BONNE FETE PAPA (happy Fathers Day) yesterday, I hope everyone had a great day yesterday. Well, time for some questions and answers. 1: How many missionaries are in the Mission? I am not a 100 percent sure but I think there is about 160-170 missionaries in the field. 2: How many missionaries are in Charleroi? We have 8 missionaries in Charleroi, 6 Elders and 2 Soeurs (sisters). 3: How many baptisms do you have every month? I am not really sure, but I do know that the work here in Europe is on fire and that we have a lot of baptisms, maybe not as many as in Brazil or the states or anywhere else for that matter, but for Europe, it is just increasing. 4: Have you had zone conference and interviews? Well, President changed it so there are some places that have interviews every other transfer and this transfer we are one of those places. So, we don’t have interviews this transfer. Zone conference; we haven’t had conference yet but it is this Friday and it is in Brussels. So, I get to see Brussels again. Oh YA! I love that city. Well, if I forgot any questions, sorry, and next time when I receive a question I will write it in my planner so I don’t forget. So, if you have questions, feel free to ask.

Well, things are going great here. On Tuesday, last Tuesday, I had a workday or an exchange with the zone leaders. I was with Elder Berlin. He is a great Elder. He is on his last transfer. It was funny. We went to a door and a guy came and he spoke English also. So, we talk to him and he has seen the missionaries before. He asked us a question? Have you ever read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover? We said “yes”. Then he said; "good, so have I. So, you have read the part about the horses on the Moon"....What horses on the moon? No, we have not read about the horses on the moon. I don’t think it is in there. He said; "Oh, they must have taken it out then." Right.....he didn’t believe in the book because you can’t prove it by science and stuff like that, but it was kinda funny.

Well, now is the big world cup for soccer and everyone here is way excited for it. On Saturday America played against England and they tied 1 to 1. But it was big because my companion is from England and I am American, so it was fun. There are games going on everyday and people are always talking about it. Yesterday at church we had stake conference, where it was broad cast throughout Europe. We had Elder Paul V. Johnson of the 70, Sister Cook of the Young women Presidency, Elder David A. Bednar and President Boyd K. Packer speak to us, and it was great.

Well, our baptism date is still going strong. As long as he comes to church these next two weeks, he can be baptized. So, I am hoping and praying for the best. Everything else seems to be going great. My talk on Sunday - I decided to use one of the talks I made in the MTC, but change it a little and make it a little better, also. Well, everything else is going great. France is still pretty bad. No, it’s ok. I am learning more and more every day. I know with time, hard study and help from the Lord, I will learn it. So, I am not too worried about it.

Well, everything here is great and I hope you are all having a great week and a great time. I love you all and hope you all have a great week and have fun. Remember to stay bright eyed, bushy tailed an egger to excel. Love ya!
LOVE ELDER WALKER

Recent Pictures of Chris

Here are a few pictures that Chris sent home in one of his letters. He is still just as funny and random as ever. Ya gotta love him.

June 7, 2010

Hey family, how is it going? Well, this week was great! We set a baptism date with one of our investigators. It is great! We set the date for July 3. It is just awesome! We are planning to set a couple of other baptism dates this week also. Things here are going great and the sisters in Charleroi had another baptism also. Man, things are just on fire.

Well, not much has been going on. I finally got some short sleeve shirts because the long sleeves shirts were killing me in this weather. That’s what I like about Utah, when it says it is going to be 80° it will be 80°. Here, if it says it is 80° what they are really saying is that it is 80° but you have to take into account that you live in a country on the coast and you have 90 percent humidity. So, you have to add the 80° and the 90 percent humidity and you get.....80° but you are going to be boiling hot because it is going to feel like it is really 100° and you are going to be sweating like crazy. So, they may say 80° but they mean 100°.

Well, things here are going good. We have a first councilor like every church. I try to avoid him at all costs. He is way cool but let me tell you why. Because after Priesthood then we have Sunday School and then Sacrament. Well, usually after Priesthood if he needs someone to talk in Sacrament, he comes to the missionaries to ask if we can talk in an hour in Sacrament. That is why I try to avoid him at all costs. Well, after church I thought I was saved anther Sunday. I was out in the foyer talking to some people when someone came up and started to massage my shoulders. I turned around and guess who it was? He said I have a question for you and I was thinking to myself crap, I am in trouble. And sure enough, he asked me to give a talk in Sacrament on the 20th of June. Right when he started talking to me I knew exactly what he wanted. So, now guess who has to give a talk the 20th of June. Ya, you guessed it - ME MYSELF AND I. Great! How fun! Whoo hoo - I am jumping for joy (not really).

Well, that kinda sucks, but oh well, it will all work out and I know that the lord will help me through, so I am glad for that. Well, that is pretty much my week for ya. Not much else went on. Well, I love you all and hope you are going to have a great week and TTFN LOVE ELDER WALKER

May 31, 2010

Bonjour ma famille. Comment allez-vous? Vous allez bien! (Direct translation....Hello my family. How goes you? You going well!......normal translation…Hello family. How are you? You going well! very similar.) Well, this week I’m not going to lie to you, SUCKED!!!!!!! Let me explain. Wednesday, the first day of transfer, Elder Broadway gets "sick" and we stayed in the apartment the whole day. Thursday, he is still "sick" so we stayed in the apartment all day. Friday, once again he is "sick" but I went with Elder Winkler and his new companion, his greeny, and we went to go teach someone Then we came back and I spent the rest of the day in the apartment. But I got a lot of studying in. I have been studying Jesus the Christ. It is a very good book. My favorite parts of the book are the notes at the end of the chapters describing some of the stuff he has said. I have to admit the first few chapters were really hard for me to get through but when I started the chapters of Christ’s birth and everything I was fine, but the first chapters were hard.

Well, that is basically the start of my transfer, not much happening. Well, on Saturday, Charleroi 1 had a baptism. Apparently it went very well. For the Charleroi district the year goal was 25 baptisms and we are now at the half way point and we have 14. Well, we did get to teach one of our amies and he came to church for the 3rd time. Things are going great for us. One thing, we have 3 companionships of elders in Charleroi. The Charleroi 1 companionship has to drop some of their amies (sorry amies = investigators.) The other Charleroi 2 companionship gets dropped by some of their investigators and for us, all our investigators disappear off the face of the earth, and no one can get a hold of them. So, we are having some setbacks but everyone has some promising investigators who are really interested in the gospel. So, that is good. Then you have the sisters in Charleroi who are just on fire. They had 2 baptisms last transfer and they are just doing great. Well, that is the work in Charleroi.

Well, that is pretty much all that has happened the last week. But life is good, hard but good. The French is coming along. On Saturday, Elder Simonson and Elder Barrit, his greeny, went on a little workday with us. (Workday is where you change companions for a little bit of the day.) Well, Elder Barrit and I went out and did some contacting, but no one was on the street. So, we went door to door, where we found some lady who told us she was in the religion of love....right. She believes in all the prophets, Noah, Mohammad, Buddha, and Jesus. We get talking and we asked if she had a Bible and she showed us this fifth dimensional book and some other books. She said these are her Bibles. It was funny. Well, we had to go and she was so nice to us, it was awesome.

Well, that was my week. I love you and thank you. Thank you so much for the support you give me. It helps me out a lot. Well, JE T'AIME LOVE ELDER WALKER