SOOOO the MTC is almost done!

Talking to mom!

Dear Family and Friends,

My family, it was so good to talk to you!  We got a little time to email and do laundry today because we won't have another p-day for a week.  I would say that I don't have a lot to write, but that would be a lie.  I actually have tons to write, to the point that I have nothing to write because I don't think that I could ever get it all out. 

First off, I am so sad to leave my district.  They are like my family here.  Hermana Bangerter left this afternoon and we all cried so hard.  She's just reassigned to Provo so her mission president and his wife picked her up at the front desk.  Before we left the residence we said a prayer with all of the Hermanas.  Heavenly Father has blessed me with some great sisters let me tell you.  Then, we walked down stairs and met up with our Elders and walked her to the information desk.  When we got there we said a prayer in a circle with our district (minus Elder Summers who left this morning before class).  It was the greatest feeling to know that over these last six weeks we have learned how to be worthy of the spirit and help people come unto Christ.  I have no doubt that district 23E will make a difference where ever we end up getting to serve.  Hopefully we can all get to Argentina soon!

Two missions--SLC and Buenos Aires!

Salt Lake City is going to be an adventure! I have just decided that it is extended training.  I have only been in the MTC for 6 weeks, and for the next 6 weeks or so I will just be furthering my training out in the field but not quite in Argentina yet.  I am sure that it is part of the plan.  Heavenly Father knew that I needed to have a little more experience so that I didn't have a heart attack in Argentia.  Or maybe someone down there needs a little more time before I come knocking on their door-that sounds a little more like it :)

My Spanish is not so good yet, but I am improving everyday.  I pray that I will be able to speak Spanish in Salt Lake, or Argentina might be nuts.

Pray that I can fit everything into my bags tomorrow; it will be rough.

Thank you everyone for letters.  I seriously cherish every one.  It will most likely be a week until my next p-day so I hope that this whole transition will go smoothly.  Everyone read the scriptures, and Choose the Right.

XOXO,

Hermana Walker

Salt Lake City?

President and Sister Carter

I am the Queen and the MTC is my Castle!

Dear Familia,

So this has been a very eventfull week.  If I could only remember it.

First off, I have been temporarily reassigned while I wait for my visa! Salt Lake here I come haha.  Before anyone sits there in judgement, remember that's where I wanted to go!! We are leaving next Wednesday, I do not know when.  We have not gotten our travel plans yet, but we'll see what happens.  There is also a strong possibility that we will not even be speaking Spanish.  But they have Cafe Rio in Salt Lake, and I could serve in Bountiful by Aunt Kelly, and I will be here for Conference, which means that I will not be listening to it in Spanish.  There are so many positives that I don't know how I could be upset.

Second! Thanks so much for all the love from back home this week!! The packages were the best. Mom I can't believe all the stuff you found to put in that big package Camron brought up. The music -perfect, the iPod -perfect, the little gifts for my companions -perfect (they say thanks by the way), and everything else was exactly what I needed.  You just know me so well!  Thanks Aunt Kathy and Uncle Roy for the package; I was in desperate need of those watches and candy!  Thanks Aunt Kelly for those cookies and other treats.  But seriously those cookies walked out of heaven! I ate all of them by myself in like two days! Jody and the Jeppsen clan, thanks for the Easter package, it was so nice -miss you and love reading Julia’s letters.  Congrats to Liza on getting into BYU!

Third! Tell the Huxfords that it was my pleasure last week to let Bleu know about Braize’s mission call.  It was so fun!!  I will describe it in greater detail because it was so cute.  I went into his classroom with three sheets of paper folded up.  He came to the door, and I handed them to him. I said the first one was just a picture of Braize with his call, and the second one was where he was going, and the third one was where the other boys in the ward are going.  He looked at the first page with the picture and was so happy.  When he pulled that page around to look at the second one, he smiled said "no way" and then leaned forward resting his elbows on his thighs and started to cry.  It was so sweet. I thought I'd tell you in case he tries to man it up for his mom. Haha!  (Bleu and his brother Braize are both going to missions in Brazil.) And Kaleb is going to Bryce's mission!!!!! AHHH that is so exciting. They are all going to be so great!! Eldorado Valley Ward -single handedly converting the  world!!!

Fourth! I got hit in the head by a duck.  That is not a joke! When we were walking back from devotional, which was great--it was a member of the 70, there were three ducks in the grass.  Some dumb elders scared them, and they came and hit my head.  The weirdest sensation ever was having a duck hit my head :-)

Fifth -I just love my district.  They are my family!  The elders are just so great.  There is so much personality in our classroom that the teacher cannot even handle it.

Last -this week we have ended teaching our “investigators”.  Surprise they are both getting baptized! We have been teaching a lot about the commandments.  I would just like to point out that a commandment that we have been given from the Lord is to read the Scriptures every single day.  It is very important.  So everybody stop slacking off and read the scriptures -it’s a commandment.  Es mas importante. I love the work, I am excited for this next week, and I pray for you all daily.  The Church is true.  It is the only thing that can cure my anxiety about the uncertanity of the future.  The work is pushing foward, and Satan is ticked.

Love, Hugs, and Kisses,

Hermana Walker

ps. My Spanglish is pretty much fluent these days!

pss.  Thanks to Marilynn for the yummy package!  I love all those Pendletons!  And thanks Grandma Sue for the snacks and the CTR ring; it fits perfectly!

Where else am I going?

Argentina, my love

Buenos Aires Crew!

The girls--four to Buenos Aires. The other sisters are going to Cordoba.

The elders in my district as they sleep. Haha!

Mission boundaries

Utah Salt Lake City Mission blog

Light at the End of the MTC Tunnel

Hola Familia!

This has been a great week.  The sun was shining yesterday to the point that I could actually feel heat.  Nuts huh?

My whole district got letters that we are going to be reassigned yesterday, so by next Thursday I should know where I am going!  I don't know whether I am bummed or relieved, because Argentina is so scary!!! None of us has met with the consulate, so I am pretty sure our visas aren't even in process. They literally don't tell us anything here, and we leave in 9 days and have yet to meet with the consulate, so ya I’d really like to go to the church travel office and help them with their efficiency.  I know, I know, patience = not my strength :)  

We got two new girls in our room this week, making a grand total of 6 girls. They are going to California somewhere and leave the same day we do, even though they just got here this week.  Although I am still not sure, if we are ever going to leave.

Our “practice investigators” are progressing, and both now have baptismal dates. Bueno.  My Spanish still sounds like Tow-mater on that ride at cars land. (Dad you can fill mom in.) It's cool though; our investigators are the most important part, not the Spanish.  My district is currently dying.  One Elder is sick with pneumonia.  Another Elder's face keeps blowing up like a balloon, and he gets hives.  And everyone else has the miscellaneous cold/cough.  We have decided that everyone has the MTC virus-it’s exhaustion/malnutrition/stress/dehydration.  

We are now the oldest district in our zone.  We got a new district this week, and I actually had met one of the girls before.  Over Christmas break when Lexi and I went to the temple, she was taking out her endowments in that session, and we talked after.  And now she's in our zone! 

I promise that I am having a spiritual crescendo of growth right now even though I don't really write much about it.  I have always had a hard time expressing the things that are most important to me.  One of our investigators (Noemi) has two children.  As we teach about the Atonement it is very family based.  I have started thinking about the Atonement in my life that way.  I cannot believe that Christ died for me, the reality of that will probably never sink in for the rest of my life.  But the part that really gets me is that he has died for my children.  The children that I do not even have yet.  I can serve the whole rest of my life and never repay the brother that died for the sins my children have yet to commit. If I did not feel completely debited to him before, I definitely do now.

Lexi's area sounds crazy!  If anyone can help the work thrive there that girl can!!

Tell Nick thanks for his letter.  As far as shirts, my two favorites are "I solemly swear that I am up to no good" and "BCHS. Hotter than Emma Watson" also I was thinking that instead of Walker on the back of their shirts Marc and Nick should get Fred and George.  I am going to write Nick back a letter today with more detail.

Thank you so much for the Cupcakes! I know you have sent me a ton of packages I was just giving you a hard time.  Wednesdays are always a hard day so the cupcakes definitely helped.  I will send you the list of things I need when I email later, I forgot to bring my list to the laundry room this morning.  If you have anymore questions send them and I will write you back then!

And if there are any more cute long skirts from JJill that would be much appreciated, because I wear mine all the time.  Seriously everyone loves the longer skirts.

LOVE YOU!! Thanks everyone for all the dearelders. Talk to you soon!! 

xoxo,

Hermana Chloe

PS.  Shout out to the boys of Boulder City who got their mission calls today!!! Congratulations Kaleb, Braize, Tanner and Chris.  Welcome to the coolest club, God's Army!!

Here are some pictures of my ladies!! I am honored to call them friends!!!

Hermana Bangerter and Hermana Walker "Checkerboard Twin Day"

"This is how we make wearing the same skirts all the time a little bit more exciting!"

Sister Morgan Allred-a good friend from Freshman year at BYU!

One of my new best friends, Hermana Morley.  Had to say goodbye to her on Monday.  Muy triste ;(

Companions:)

The Argentinian Princesses--Hermans Bangerter, Walker, and Nielsen

Argentinian Princesses in Real Life :)

Week 3 in the MTC!

Dear Family,

This week has been really fast. Faster than last week.  I didn't even take any pictures this week... lo siento. But my companion did so I will forward one to you.  And yes, I am emailing you very early in the morning once again.  We get to the laundry room really early so that we can get our stuff in the good washers, and get on the computers before this place gets crazy.  Normally we go back to our room and write letters for two hours or so after laundry, but I think today we are going to naps instead.  I am feeling really sick. It has mostly been a cold up until this point, but today I have a sore throat. Waking up everyday is still rough.  People have said it gets better, but I don't believe them. I think that every day of my mission I will have a hard time waking up.  I need to focus on success though--I have not woken up late one day!

As far as how I am doing, everything is going well.  I am still not very good at Spanish but get better everyday.  I talk pretty great in a lesson and about the gospel, but I am having a hard time with everyday conversation. The times when English and Spanish don't translate very well and I have to remember the Spanish rule are especially hard.  Sometimes it makes me upset, but then I realize that I have been here for three weeks and learned more than two years of Spanish.  We teach our investigators a couple times a week, but the best is when we go to the TRC because then we get to teach members and they are so nice.  It is such a confidence boost.  After our last lesson with our investigator Ignacio he told us that we could have asked him to do anything and he would have said yes because the spirit was so strong.

This week we sang in the devotional.  I don't know if I already said that but my whole district likes to sing in the choir.  The devotional speaker was Elder Marcos Aidukaitis, he's a member of the 70.  Melissa and I said a sad goodbye to Lexi on Tuesday.  It was bitter sweet.  Having them here has been such a blessing.  It has felt like I brought two members of my family with me.  But I will be seeing them soon especially since this is flying by!  Strengthening old friendships and making new friends have been the some of the best blessings of my mission.

And I have made wonderful new friends.  My favorites are Hermanas Nielsen and Bangerter!  

This Wednesday will mark one month in the MTC!  Thanks mom and grandma for the packages!!! Thanks so much, and mom, the temple picture with Lexi, Melissa and I was my favorite.  You have to send me more pictures--especially of our family!!!! I literally don't have one picture of our family recently.  There are a bunch of cute ones right before I left, and those really cute ones of my roommates and I after my farewell.  Just send me as many as you can!!  I have no pictures of Camron.  And none where Marc and Nick are taller than dad.  So ya I need more!!  My companion is still doing really well.  We have great lessons because she speaks a little more Spanish than me.  I would really like the 4th verse of I Know That My Redeemer Lives on my plaque.  I don't have a scripture for my plaque, but Alma 26:12 will do if I can't have the hymn.

Don't worry I'll have room for the things I asked for because I am planing on sending quite a few things home since I know what I don't really need.   But yes I will want my Danskos, I am sure.  You also know everything I love so you can send me more things if your not too busy:) Thanks so much for keeping up my blog, everyone sends me letters that they love it.  I am so excited about MarLeice.  Brazil is way lucky!

About Argentina though.  The likelihood of me leaving in two and a half weeks is slim to none.  We have yet to meet with the consulate.  At this time we just want to meet with them before we are done at the MTC so we are not reassigned to Utah.  If we meet with them in the next to weeks then we could be reassigned in the next two weeks to somewhere anywhere in the US.  Just pray that the consulate will come.  The whole visa thing really stresses me out so I try not to think about it.

Love you all.

Oh last thing our residence flooded on Monday.  Two inches in the hallway and the rooms next to us.  We were the closest room that didn't get flooded.  Basically now our residence smells like the 60 year old bacteria and germs that used to be in the carpet that are now airborne.  I have decided that is how I got sick.  They didn't even take the carpet out, they just put big fans on them.  But seriously the water was dripping down to the second floor so that's how they found out so I don't understand how they don't have to rip out the walls, I am positive there is going to be so much mold.  Luckily we leave soon, just our luck that it would be our floor, it smells horrible.
I'm also so excited to hear that Andrew Simister is going to Mexico! That is so awesome! Tell him he needs to get his Visa stuff done ASAP.  A whole district in my zone just got reassigned because they didn't get visas to Mexico on time and they had been in the MTC for 10 weeks.  Mexico, Peru, and Argentina are the worst right now.  Everyone going there is getting reassigned. And tell Camron he can send me a package anytime:)  I will try to get letters out to him and Anna and Marc and Nick this week. 

Love you,

Hermana Walker

Another Week Dominated

Hello everyone!

First off, thanks for getting my music together! That all sounds perfect.  We can't listen to it in the mtc so take time sending it if you haven't already.  If you send me a dearelder today before 11 your time I will get it today.  If you want ideas for what to send me I would like a CTR ring, Spanish or no, I'm guessing a size 7.  If there is an ugly watch hanging around the house, I would like one of those.  I have to wear one everyday.  No iPhone.  I would also like some Listerine or other kind of breath mints.  Believe it or not I am actually starting to regret not buying some Dansco/other kind of ugly mary jane shoes.  Maybe you could send me my brown Danscos (from when I broke my toe).  Not only am I going to have to wear shoes every day, I am going to have to start walking everywhere too!!  The consulate has yet to come so I'm pretty sure that my district is going to get reassigned before we get to go to Argentina.

Thanks for the letters Mom, Dad, Anna, Grandma Leslie, Grandma Sue, Vivian, and Bryce. Letters are much appreciated.  I like to feel loved.  AND THAT IS SO EXCITING FOR MARLEICE!! BRAZIL!! Perfect for her! 

This week a lot happened although the second I sat down here I forgot most of it.

SATURDAY: was a blur. I think we taught our investigator, and did the same old mtc stuff.

TUESDAY: DEVOTIONAL DAY!! We had M. Russell Ballard.  He was so great.  He talked about how as missionaries we have a lifetime of knowledge that we can draw back on, and we don't just use what we have learned in the MTC.  He told us to RELAX. My whole district sings in the choir every week.  It is so fun. We sang "Remember the Lilies". So ya that was good.

WEDNESDAY: Newbie day.  Always fun.

THURSDAY: p-day-eve.  Always long.  We had a great class last night.  Hermano Peterson one of the teachers really helped us understand the power we have as missionaries.  I thought that I was excited and dedicated before I came, but every day I get more dedicated to the work and more excited to leave this place. Ask me anymore questions you have I am not really sure what to write.

FRIDAY: Today, laundry this morning.  We are going to the temple later, and then class tonight.  

So ya that's my whole life in a couple sentences.  Surprisingly, I love going to the gym everyday.  30 min is the perfect work out time.  I have lost a little weight since I got here, but that is probably just because the food makes me sick and I don't eat.  I would love my rojo falda por favor. Let me know what's going on.  Ask me questions so I have more to say next week.  Tell everyone I love them.  

XOXO,

Hermana Walker

Hermana Walker and Hermana Swenson

Mid-calf length skirts are hard to find, and so many girls have purchased the same thingsthat the Sisters decided to have "Twinner Tuesdays" where we dress alike on purpose. 

Hermana Jessie Roberts (another friend from Boulder City) and I