August 27, 2007

Hi! North Carolina is awesome. It's really hot and humid, too, but I spend a lot of time inside. I don't think I've ever appreciated air conditioning this much! The exhausted looks on our faces gives us a sympathy factor when talking to people!

Thank you for your letters! They mean a lot to me! There's a scripture in Proverbs 25:25, I think, that shows how I feel! Check it out! I have little time for email, but there is more time available for letters! Thank you!

My companions are great. Elder Kennah, said Ken A, is from Layton, Utah, has served 19 months, 5 in Raleigh and is hoping not to be transferred in a week! He loves the singles ward and the campus area and knows a lot of the people at church and on campus. He also enjoys when we come back to the apartment for lunch, so he can eat his cereal while wearing his big, gold rimmed sunglasses, Chapel Hill jersey, and Burger King crown. He isn't afraid at all to talk to people and is awesome at connecting with people during discussions. He has a great sense of humor.

Elder Johnson is from Branson, Missouri, and was in the MTC at the same time I was. He worked in Branson as a lights specialist for shows and then got into real estate. He likes talking with people and is really friendly with everybody. Last night the Elders tried out my wheelchair. Everything was going great until we took off the wheelie bars so we could do wheelies better. Elder Johnson went up to do a wheelie and ended up going over backwards on his head with his legs up in the air, and the wheelchair now sitting on him. I laughed until it hurt and I cried.

The institute building and surrounding ten acres are owned by the church. It's a quarter mile from campus' east side, and is an ideal place to teach the discussions, or for students to take a break from school. Half of the building is the chapel, where the single's ward, our ward, meets. In the institute side of the building there are a ton of fun things to do, foosball, pool, ping-pong, comfy places to do homework and a kitchen. There is also a basement with three classrooms, and a ramp I can use outside to get to it.

Brother Nichols is the Institute Director; he's over seminary and five other buildings. He has a great sense of humor, and really tries to connect with the students. I have enjoyed helping him and will do so about thirty hours every week. Institute starts on Thursday, with about 5 classes, including a class I'll teach about the discussions, and mission preparation.

Sister Morris is the executive secretary at institute and helps me out a ton. She's a mother of six kids, and has found another...me. I really appreciate her help and her ability to tell when I need to go take a nap, go eat lunch or go take a break.

President and Sister Wallis have been really great and helpful. Our zone went to the temple with them last week, it was awesome. Sister W. gave me a bunch of Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce, my favorite! I drank the first bottle and used the second on my cereal. Thanks, Aunt Nan! President asked me to speak at zone conference on Wednesday about my accident and since. I'm nervous, and will need to find some time to prepare!

I really appreciate letters, long, short, fat, skinny, on paper, brass plates, anything!
Thank you so much for your support and Love,

Elder Walters