Sister Chloe Walker Buenos Aires West Mission: Tomorrow is My Birthday!

Family and friends,

Well, actually just my six month birthday, but it is still exciting. One year from now I will be coming home! Which seems so weird and fast. When I look forward I still feel like my mission is 18 months, but 6 of those are gone. I have to accomplish everything else in the next 12 months, and I just don't know if that is enough time. I am serving in English. In Utah. My Spanish is almost nonexistent anymore. And I have no idea what the future looks like for me. I am hoping that many questions get answered in the next 12 months. Can I actually learn Spanish? Where am I actually supposed to be? So, ya, since I have been gone for six months now, it is a good time for everyone to remember me with a letter:) Six months of my mission gone. Crazy! But I get to continue serving and learning for the next year, I am so lucky!

This was a good week. On Wednesday we went on exchanges with the sister training leaders. Sister Pacheco came to Cottonwood with me, and Sister Guerra went to Sugar House. After dinner with some of my favorite members (the Crowleys), Brother Crowley asked us to wash our hands because he wanted to show us something. He went down stairs came up with a box, opened it and pulled out an original copy of the Book Of Mormon!!! Dad you would have thought it was so cool I got to touch it! And thumb through the pages. And it is even cooler than that. The book belonged to Oliver Cowdery’s wife! She has written her name on the front page. And she has marked up the book and everything. In the back there are some blank pages where she has written notes. She has one headline with a bunch of scriptures under it to support it, that says "Exclamations Against Polygamy." I almost died laughing when I read that!

Then, we did some teaching and stuff for the rest of the week. Everyone is doing really great. Reading, praying, and coming to church and such. The people of Cottonwood are coming closer to Christ!

On Saturday Sister Guerra and I went back to South Salt Lake for Laura and Edgars wedding!!! It was so awesome. It was just them, the guy in our mission who married them, and the missionaries. So fun! And even better I was one of the witnesses!!!!! SO my name will forever be on their marriage certificate. Historical things are happening people! Seriously, it was amazing to be a witness, and to be at the wedding. Laura is waiting to get baptized in two weeks so that she and Edgar can get baptized together. They are amazing. And I'll be home when they get sealed! After they got married, Laura just cried and cried. She knew it was right and that God was happy and proud of her! After we went to IHOP for breakfast. Edgar works there part-time. He kept telling all of the workers, "This is my WIFE!" Everyone was so cute!

Then it was Sunday, and now it's Monday! So that is it! The members here are great, we are changing the way this stake does missionary work for the better. It is an exciting time. Hastening the work becomes more real for everyone when two sets of missionaries are put in a tiny stake in Cottonwood Utah. It is now more than just the prophet saying numbers, doubling the missionary force is literal!

I am loving the work. The amount of instability in my life is almost enough to take my breath away some times, but the next day comes. And I somehow always find something to look forward to every day. I love and miss you all. Mom, Dad, Camron, Marc, Nic, and Anna I pray specifically for each of you as well as many others. The best thing about serving in English this transfer, is that praying in English again has helped me to make my prayers so specific. I know that our Father is there. He is waiting for us to ask him for our help. He will always do what is best for us. I like how you said it, mom, "These trials are holy!" The kind that help you learn and grow!

xoxo,
Sister Chloe!